GFA, Sports Ministry to the rescue of stranded footballers in Ethiopia
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah, has directed the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to make contact with some stranded Ghanaian footballers in Ethiopia and the Ghana Embassy to facilitate their return, GFA president, Mr Kurt Okraku, has revealed.
The stranded players sent an SOS message via a viral video on Tuesday to the Ghana government to help fly them back home after weeks of struggle in the East African country.
Intervention
Mr Okraku, in a swift reaction, wrote on his Facebook wall that he was in touch with the sports minister to help facilitate the return to Ghana of the footballers.
“I have just taken notice of a video of some Ghanaian footballers who seem to be stranded in Ethiopia. I am in contact with Hon. Isaac Kwame Asiamah (Sports Minister) who has directed that contact be made with the boys and the Ghana Embassy in Ethiopia.
“All hands on deck at the moment to offer every support to our brothers. Soon, this too shall pass,” the FA boss wrote.
The group, which included former Black Stars defender, Lee Addy, and former Medeama SC shot-stopper, Muntari Tagoe, were spotted in front of the Ghana Embassy in Addis Ababa pouring out their frustration after some unsuccessful attempts to fly back home.
“We are footballers in Ethiopia and the season has been cancelled. We have spent all our money on food and accommodation. We have our return tickets and all we are asking the government is to help airlift us from here,” Tagoe, onetime member of the Black Satellites, was heard in the video appealing to the government.
Fear of eviction
The players explained that they were running out of basic needs and funds, while their rent at the host country had expired. Besides that, their work permit would expire on Monday, June 29, 2020 after which they would be thrown out of their residence.
According to the tall goalkeeper, who currently plays for Jimma Aba Jifar in the Ethiopian top flight, there would be nowhere for them to even sleep after Monday, hence the need for an urgent government intervention.
Addy also alleged that after visiting the consulate to express their frustration, they were told to pay $2,000 before they could be assisted to fly back home.
“When we went to the consulate to complain to them they told us that there was nothing they could do unless we pay $2,000 before they would fix us in a cargo plane back to Ghana,” Addy, who featured for Ghana at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, alleged.
He claimed that the situation was getting worse by the day and appealed to the government to intervene and help them to get a flight back home, adding that a category of Ghanaians in Ethiopia had ben taken care of by the state.
The defender added that they were in a very dire situation now and needed the state’s support to help them get a flight back home to join their families.
Source: Graphic.com.gh