President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Okraku, has revealed that his outfit is in constant touch with the Minister of Youth and Sports and the Embassy of Ghana in Ethiopia, working on evacuating 21 stranded Ghanaian footballers in Ethiopia.
On Tuesday, a viral video emerged of Ghanaian players pleading on the government to help get them home following the cancellation of the Ethiopian Premier League season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to one member of the team, former Black Stars defender Lee Addy, the Embassy in Ethiopia is demanding $2000 from them before they are put on a cargo plane to Ghana.
“We have made contact with the Ghanaian embassy here and the only thing they are telling us is that we should pay two thousand dollars so that they can put us in a cargo plane.
They say unless we do that there is nothing that can be done about our situation,” he explained.
But it appears help could soon be on the way with the GFA President writing on facebook:
“Ethiopia update:
“We now know that 21 Ghanaian footballers are currently in Ethiopia wanting to come home. Hon Issac Kwame Asiamah is in touch with the ministry of foreign affairs. Soon, this too shall pass.”
Ghanaian footballers in Ethiopia appealing to Ghana Gov't to evacuate them to Accra.
Lee Addy, Muntari Tagoe etc pic.twitter.com/opCBKWyf8l
— Saddick Adams (@SaddickAdams) June 23, 2020
Background
he players have been stuck in Ethiopia for close to two months following the decision of the Ethiopian football federation to cancel 2019/2020 league season on May 5, 2020.
Aside Lee Addy, the other players faced with the crisis include Muntari Tagoe, Yakubu Mohammed, Abdul Latif Mohammed, Fuseini Nuhu, Alhassan Nuhu, Rahim Osumanu, Aaron Amoah, Edwin Frimpong Manso, Osei Mawuli among a host of others.
In a video that has since gone viral Muntari Tagoe passionately outlined their current status.
“We beg the government, we are footballers and now our season has been cancelled.
“Our teams have sorted us out and we have also squandered all the money with have for food and rent.
“On the 30th our rent will also expire.
“We have our own return tickets, we are not asking anyone to do anything extraordinary for us.
“We beg the officials to come to our aid to rescue us because after our resident permit expires that will further complicate the situation.” he stated.
According to the players other countries are evacuating their citizens and want the Ghanaian government to do same for them.