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Following a revelation by the Ghana Immigration service of how about
2,000 Ghanaian women are strandedin some gulf states in search of
greener pastures, Citi News has been speaking to a victim (Maame Yaa
for the purposes of this article) of such an incident.
According to the report these women are taken by recruitment agencies
into these countries in the Gulf state and are subjected to all forms
of abuses instead of the jobs promised.
Maame Yaa is a Senior High School graduate who completed school two
years ago. She was unemployed and also couldn't attend any tertiary
institution due to lack of funds.
Maame Yaa narrated that "I was told there was a job outside there" but
when she asked the recruitment agency what kind of job it was, she was
told she "will be working at a super market."
The recruitment agency further assured her that she will enjoy good
remuneration as well as better life outside Ghana. Maame Yaa informed
her aunty who funded her travel.
Maame Yaa only got to know where she was travelling to when she got to
the airport. She said "I asked them the country I was going to but
they didn't tell me. I only got to know at the airport when they gave
me the visa, my passport and my ticket. After I read it, I realized I
was going to Kuwait."
When she arrived in Kuwait she realized she has been deceived by the
recruitment agency with regards to the kind of work she had been
recruited for. "I got there before I realized I was going to work as a
house help," Maame Yaa said.
She narrates that she immediately exhibited her displeasure at the
nature of the job to one of the agents in Kuwait called Asiedu. She
said "they didn't tell me I was coming be a house help so I asked that
they send me back to Ghana."
But Asiedu told her returning to Ghana was impossible unless her
family was willing to pay some amount of money for her return.
Maame Yaa decided to stay for a while to work for some money to aid
her return to Ghana. After being a house help for two weeks with a
Kuwait family she narrates that "One night I was there when the woman
asked me to carry some bags of rice. I told her I can't carry it.
Immediately I told her that, her small daughter slapped me. I got
angry and slapped her back."
After this incident Maame Yaa was asked to pack her belongings; she
was taken to the police station.
The Police called her agency and asked them to deport her to Ghana.
But the agency was reluctant to deport her; they needed to make some
money out of her. She said "Asiedu asked me to go back to that family
and be of good behaviour since my family will not be able to raise the
money for me to return."
The family came back for Maame Yaa again on the orders of the
recruitment agency. But according to her "I was not feeling well I
told the man (Asiedu) there he didn't even mind me. When the woman
came for me I got worse."
For the fear of Maame Yaa dying in her home, her Kuwait mistress sent
her back to the recruitment agency. At the recruitment agency she said
"They kept me in a small room over there, they don't give water, no
food, nothing."
After staying in the "small room" for close to a week she was taken to
see the boss of the agency (who is an Indian) because her condition
wasn't getting any better. It was in that office she encountered her
miracle.
She said "I saw a Ghanaian man and I told him about everything."
The Ghanaian man spoke to the Indian boss of the recruitment agency to
allow him help Maame Yaa back to her country. "I met him on a Sunday
by Monday evening, the man called me and said my ticket and every
other thing was ready so I should pack my things and they will send me
to Ghana."
This was after the man had called Maame Yaa's family to inform them of
her ordeal. Maame Yaa arrived in Ghana on July 27, 2014.
According to Maame Yaa she left other girls who have similar or worse
stories Kuwait. She said "Before I left, one was pregnant the other
complained of maltreatment by the family she was working for."
Most of them want to return but have no financial means.
Maame Yaa is currently home searching for a job to raise enough funds
for the continuation of her education. She advised young people to
stay in Ghana and work.
She said "I will not encourage anyone to go there they will not tell
you what you are going to do. You will get there before realizing you
don't like the work you have been offered. Its better you stay home
and work."
Credit: Citifmonline.com
