Ghanaians stranded in India

The fate of some Ghanaians who travelled to India to seek greener pastures now hangs in the air, writes Johnson Gyampoh in The Pioneer.

The group who are over ten in number said they were travelling to countries like Japan, Thailand and China but unfortunately, some of them had fake travel documents which landed them into trouble with immigration authorities and were therefore repatriated. "We were lucky to have been sent to India to enjoy our freedom without our families" one of them stated.

The group, who but for the humanitarian gesture of the staff of the Ghana High Commission in India would have perished, are caught in a dilemma which observers see as sad and unfortunate. And until an SOS appeal for their relief is launched in Ghana to get air tickets for them, the chances of them seeing their families are slim. This is because they have no jobs to do to earn living wages and they have no money for air tickets to return to Ghana either. Whatever money that comes their way is from the charity of Ghanaians studying in some universities and other institutions in India; with the bulk of help go them coming from other philanthropic gestures of some Ghanaian friends and other African friends.

In spite of their present predicament, some members of the group do not seem keen to return home citing difficult economic conditions. The youngest amongst them had this to say: "man must always fight ahead and not give up in times of trials and tribulations. I have written series of letters to my parents and friends to explain my current situation in India, but I have for the past two years not heard from them. I have lost all hope of getting help from my parents to return home". Another had this to say: " I got wind of the current economic hardship in Ghana and I don't think I can stand it, so if I am looking for any assistance, I need the one that can send me to Japan or any European country. I have been to Libya, Nigeria and two other African countries, so I have the travelling experience to continue rather than return to Ghana to face the current hardship."

India's relationship with Ghana and the nature of her immigration policies means it is unlikely that the group will face any problem with the security agencies in that country. But with a population of over 900 million people, India certainly has no jobs for these stranded Ghanaians. Maybe, as one of them put it, President Rawlings will visit India soon and give them a lift back home in his plane. Or else...