‘Present Ken Agyapong as flagbearer if you want to win 2024 elections’ – Abossey Okai traders to NPP

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration is putting in place measures to rescue some 431 stranded Ghanaians in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that most of our stranded Ghanaians who are currently in detention at the Al Tawadi Medical Centre and the Immigration Centre were misled by unscrupulous agents who promised unavailable jobs in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.

The Statement added that agents were paid significant sums to facilitate the entry of prospective travellers into the UAE.

The stranded Ghanaians are made up of Three Hundred and Forty-one (341) males, eighty-eight (88) females and two (2) children below the ages of three.

Below is the full statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry’s attention has been drawn to the detention of some Ghanaian nationals in Dubai at the Al Tawadi Medical Centre and the Immigration Centre.

According to the report, there were Four hundred and thirty-one (431) Ghanaians, comprising Three Hundred and Forty-one (341) males, eighty-eight (88) females and two (2) children below the ages of three at the medical centre. As well as an unspecified number of African Migrants.

In the wake of the above development officers from our Consulate-General in Dubai visited our stranded compatriots at the detention centre and extended proximity consular assistance to them.

From our investigations it can be confirmed that most of our stranded compatriots were misled by unscrupulous agents who promised unavailable jobs in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates, the agents were paid significant sums to facilitate the entry of the prospective travellers into the UAE.

They only discovered that the jobs they were promised were nonexistent. This development of non-availability of job opportunities in Dubai has often placed our compatriots in a precarious condition making them vulnerable and easy targets for arrest and detention by the law enforcement agencies in the UAE.

In this circumstance, the Ghana Consulate-General is in touch with the host officials on the matter for the protection of the welfare of our compatriots at the detention centres.

Even though our stranded compatriots went to the UAE on their own volition, the Government of Ghana is making necessary efforts in collaboration with the UAE authorities to effect the evacuation of our stranded nationals back to Ghana.

The Ministry wishes to seize this opportunity to caution prospective travellers to the Gulf Region to be mindful of the nefarious activities of unscrupulous agents.

In the meantime, however, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of National Security are taking urgent action to deal with the activities of unnegotiated Travel Agencies.

Spare parts dealers in Abossey Okai in the Greater Accra Region have called on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to present business mogul, Kennedy Agyapong as their flagbearer in the 2024 elections if they seek to convince the disappointed traders to vote for the party once more.

The traders explained that they believe the astute businessman is the only person who can champion the interests of the business community when the party is retained in power.

“We all work at Abossey Okai which is the heart of the party you belong to, the NPP…we had decided not to vote in the 2024 elections but the announcement that you will be contesting the flagbearership position of your party have caused us to collectively change our minds and vote once you contest in the elections…,” a member of the leadership of the traders in the business hub told a gathering at the Akroma Hotel in Takoradi where the Western Regional edition of the Guidance Conference was held.

The man who had to postpone a trip to Chicago (USA) and other traders who are passionate about the Ken Agyapong for President 2024 campaign added that ‘we became convinced after years of listening and watching you espouse your business philosophies and vision for Ghana.’

“We have collectively decided to support you to make Ghana great. We believe in your vision of making use of businessmen to make Ghana great as it’s done in other countries. Lawyers, Professors have all ruled and failed Ghana but we believe it is time to give businessmen the opportunity to rule Ghana and we believe you are the right person for that…,” he said.

Kennedy Agyapong who confirmed his decision to contest the flagbearer slot of the NPP earlier this year has promised to champion the cause of businessmen as he believes they can play a major role in developing the country.

He has also expressed his desire to instil discipline in the public sector including sacking appointees who report to work late as a means of setting the standard for discipline in all facets of the public sector.