Nine Ghanaian nationals are stranded in Uganda following the alleged confiscation of their passports by a purported employer, Dr Prince Opoku Agvemang, who sent them to the country, through his company, to work as gold miners.
They claimed their travel documents were seized upon arrival and that they have not able to even establish contact with their employers over three years.
The story of the nine Ghanaians were published by the Ugandan newspaper, New Vision in its Tuesday May 17, 2016 edition.
Their names were given by the Ugandan newspaper as Francis Anokye, 37; Isaac Danso, 29; Nelson Bonsa, 28; Owusu Anokye, 22; Thomas Afari, 32; Kwadwo Amponsah, 28; Stephene Badu 41; Yaw Agyeman 32 and Joseph Gbaude 24.
The association of Ghanaians in Uganda is said to be catering for the nine after the said lofty mining job failed to meet their expectations.
The head of Ghana Mission to Kenya which oversees Uganda, Ambassador Kwame Tenkorang, confirmed the incident to Graphic Online’s Koblah Dotsey Aklorbortu and said the mission had taken over the case and was working to return them to Ghana.
He said from the mission’s preliminary investigation, the nine were brought to Uganda by a Ghanaian, one Dr. Prince Opoku Agyemang to work in his mining concession in Uganda.
The ambassador said as of May 14 the nine were moved to Kampala where the Ghanaian consular took charge of them with the support from the Ghanaian community.
They told the New Vision newspaper they arrived in Uganda on December 17, 2013, through a Ghanaian firm known as Metal Resources Ashanti, owned by the said Dr. Agyemang and were moved straight to Busitema where they were left stranded.
“As we wait and see the preparation to ensure the retuned home, we are appealing to the family members of the nine if possible they come to their aid,” he said.
One of the victims, Francis Anokye told the New Vision newspaper that they were given lucrative contracts back home in Ghana and when they arrived in Uganda, only apartment was rented for them at Busitema, where they were abandoned and their passports seized.
The nine said “We have not seen the man who brought them to Uganda again and he does not pick his calls. At the moment we do not have any money on us.”
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