The establishment of a diplomatic mission in Kuwait as a measure of checking the maltreatment of Ghanaians in the Gulf region is in advanced stages.
This is according to Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botwe.
She contends that the physical presence of the Ghanaian state in Kuwait would help government deal better with the numerous instances of Ghanaian domestic workers in that country who are subjected to human rights abuses.
She also indicated that so far 800 Ghanaians had turned themselves in at the Saudi Mission to be brought back home.
Speaking to , Shirley Ayorkor Botchway said “very soon, we will have a physical presence in Kuwait.”
“I can also tell you that we are at the very final stage of opening a mission. It shouldn’t take us more than a month or two,” she added.
On claims of maltreatment against some Ghanaian deportees in Qatar, the Minister said her outfit has taken the matter up.
“So far, I have had meetings with the foreign missions here and I have complained and expressed government’s displeasure about the way our nationals are being treated. I’ve had meeting with ambassadors of the Gulf region.”
“So they are aware that we are not happy with it. just a couple of days ago, when the Qatari ambassador presented his letters of credence to the president, the present also expressed that state government’s concern about what is happening to our nationals who go there. And also asked him that the authorities are aware of the fact that we are not happy with what is happening and we want to engage them on this particular matter. So it’s not just Qatar so all the gulf state. We will continue to do what we can to ensure that our citizens are safe, protected and their rights are protected within the gulf region,” she added.
There have been a series of reports on of maltreatment of Ghanaian recruits who work as house-helps in that Kuwait.
Meanwhile, National Security has been tasked to probe allegations of maltreatment meted out to some 63 Ghanaians who were recently deported.
According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, this has become necessary due to conflicting reports received from the deportees and the US Embassy on the treatment on the board a chartered flight to Ghana.
“This particular matter is the word of the US authorities against that of the Ghanaians who were repatriated but we haven’t instituted any investigation into the matter because that lies in the domain of the national security and we expect them to do so,” she added.
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