The Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO) Ghana chapter, in partnership with the Nigerian High Commission, has successfully facilitated the rescue and repatriation of 36 stranded Northern Nigerian nationals back to Sokoto State, Nigeria.
NIDO Ghana President, Prince Olayemi, confirmed the news in a video shared with the media, as the bus transporting the individuals departed from Ghana.
The group, consisting of construction workers, had traveled through various West African countries, including Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Niger, seeking employment opportunities.
Their journey took a difficult turn when the contract they were working on in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, ended, and their handler abandoned them. While attempting to return to Nigeria, they found themselves stranded in Ghana, where NIDO stepped in to assist.
“They are site engineer workers, they’re all Northerners. You can see it, 36 Northern citizens, Nigerian Northern citizens, all are Hausas,” Olayemi told MyNigeria.
“They used to travel from the West Coast and go through Ivory Coast, Ghana and all that, go to Niger and all that. They used to go and work, they are builders. So, they became stranded because their contract expired and the individual responsible for them had dumped them”
“So, they only managed to get to Ghana and they became stranded and couldn’t go further,” he said.
According to Olayemi, the workers have been in their care after being stranded for 10 days.
“They have been around in the last two weeks and we’ve been attending to them in the last 10 days. We finally secured a bus going to Sokoto state for them yesterday and they’ve departed.”
The President extended his appreciation to Ghana’s High Commissioner, Ambassador Moses Ifedayo Adeoye, for his generous financial assistance and help in securing the necessary clearance for the stranded workers.
He highlighted that the High Commission also facilitated the registration of the vehicle used to transport the workers, ensuring they encountered no administrative hurdles during their journey. Furthermore, the workers were given funds to assist them once they arrived in Nigeria.
The President also praised the Arewa community in Ghana for their immense support, noting their crucial role in offering shelter and food to the workers throughout their stay.