A Ghanaian woman, named Naomi, has recounted how she was allegedly maltreated in Saudi Arabia after she visited the country through a Ghanaian agent to seek greener pastures.
According to her, prior to her journey, she failed to heed the advice of her parents which resulted in her signing a two-year contract to be a food nutritionist in Saudi Arabia.
She explained that the agent promised her quality life with many benefits that would aid her to become independent and improve her standard of living when she returns to Ghana.
Narrating her story, she said that she was introduced to the said agent after she completed Senior High School (SHS) and life become unbearable for her.
Contrary to claims that she will be a cook in the house, she said she was forced to do massive cleaning with little or no time to rest when she landed in the country.
She further disclosed that immigrants who visited Saudi Arabia to become maids had their passports withheld by their “masters”, so that they cannot escape from the country.
I completed SHS on May 11, 2016. In July that same year, I travelled though mum told me she wouldn’t let me go. She told me I would be treated badly.
She told me there is too much workload and I wouldn’t be clothed well. They wouldn’t want me to look beautiful. My dad also disagreed but I didn’t listen. I heard many stories but I pleaded with my parents and only my mum agreed.
Saudi is a prison. If you are not lucky you will come back with nothing… I know someone who went there and never left till their two-year contract passed. They do not have feelings for you and I will never advise anyone to go there [SIC].
Narrating how she escaped, she said:
After my two-year stay, my boss and his wife didn’t want me to come back to Ghana but they knew I had a child in Ghana to take care of which wasn’t true.
They only agreed to let me come back after I spent another six months with them and with another condition that I will return to them after I spend two months in Ghana. So they bought a return ticket for me but I never went back, she told SVTV Africa.