Archive for March 7th, 2008
While Ghanaians remain stranded in Barbados… Ghana buys $20 million Chinese fighter jets
While 96 of its citizens remain stranded in Barbados, the government of Ghana, which has been strangely silent and unable to send a plane back to collect its people, has been busy buying Chinese fighter jets at an estimated cost of over US $20 million each.
What started off as a much-heralded diasporan link seems to be looking more and more like another AFRICAN SCAM by people looking to escape poverty and hardship in a corrupt African country with greatly misplaced priorities.
While we welcome improved link between Africa and the Caribbean, it cannot be by way of the Caribbean becoming a dumping ground from African immigrants. Caribbean people and African people should rather be working together to develop the African continent for our mutual benefit.
Bajan Free Press
http://www.nationnews.com/story/302332442261311.php
Ghanaians want to stay
SOME of the Ghanaians who arrived in Barbados almost four weeks ago on an inaugural direct flight from the African nation do not want to leave Barbados.
They want Government to give them work permits so that they can stay on and work.
“We will prefer if they give us work permits so that we can stay and find better work,” a spokesman for a group
of ten of the stranded men told the WEEKEND NATION yesterday.
The men have been working on a construction site since they ran out of money, but yesterday their employment status also became uncertain.
A supervisor at the site said they would not be able to continue to hire the men because of all of the publicity.
“We wanted to help them out because we have been having difficulties getting workers. We put several advertisements in the paper but people would only come and work a few days or a few hours. These men are willing to work but if immigration discovers that we hired them, we would be fined $10 000 per person. My boss does not want to take that chance,” he said.
Four of the men have already left the construction site.
“They left and are looking for work elsewhere and a place to stay because their landlord saw the story and told them he did not want any problems with immigration,” the spokesman added.
He said their relatives in Ghana had also been reading about them on the Internet and were beginning to get concerned.
Asked if the plane were to return for them if they would leave, the man said “no”.
Meanwhile, Government issued a statement last week saying efforts were under way to get the stranded Africans back home.
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=140305
| General News of Wednesday, 5 March 2008 |
Ghana Gets Chinese Fighter Jets
The Ghana Armed Forces has taken delivery of two fighter jets to augment its flight of fighter jets of the Ghana Air Force.
The Minister of Defence, Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah said the jets were particularly necessary in the wake of the discovery of oil.
He said the government was committed to equip the Armed Forces to adequately protect the country from external aggression.
The delivery is in line with the “government’s intention to enhance the operational capabilities of the Ghana Air force to optimum levels”, he added.
The aircrafts were built by the Chinese National Aero-Technology Corporation.
The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Yu Wang Ze said the planes were a demonstration of the giant strides made in Aviation in that country.
He said many first class aviation products had been manufactured by the corporation destined for the international market.
The delivery of the fighter jets forms part of a trade-in for the Golf Stream 3 Presidential jet.
Under the agreement, Ghana will receive four fighter jets and a flight simulator.
The additional cost incurred by Ghana in the deal has not been disclosed but Zimbabwe two years ago acquired 12 less sophisticated jets at the cost of $20 million each.
10 comments Friday, 7 March 2008, 1:00 pm
