Frederick Twumasi Effah, who serves as the Chairman of the Ghana Community in Cambodia, recently appeared on Daily Hustle Worldwide with DJ Nyaami to speak about the growing crisis involving stranded Ghanaians in Cambodia.
According to Frederick, many Ghanaians were lured to Cambodia by a Chinese company that promised them legitimate jobs. However, upon arrival, they realized they had been deceived. Instead of proper employment arrangements, many were left with visa complications and are now being charged a $10 daily overstay fee. Before they can even receive assistance from Ghanaian authorities, they are required to settle their accumulated overstay penalties, which most of them cannot afford.
As Chairman of the Ghana Community in Cambodia, Frederick said he felt compelled to bring people together and organize support because there was previously no structured community to assist stranded nationals. Drawing from his own experience in Thailand, where a consulate helped with visa extensions and documentation, he believes the absence of a Ghanaian consulate in Cambodia has worsened the situation.
He explained that Ghana’s Ambassador to Malaysia, who oversees Cambodia, recently met with hundreds of stranded Ghanaians to better understand their plight. The meeting was overwhelming, with many people seeking urgent help. According to Frederick, it appeared the Ambassador genuinely wished she could immediately evacuate everyone, but official procedures must be followed. Efforts are reportedly ongoing to negotiate a waiver or reduction of the overstay penalties since the victims did not intentionally plan to remain illegally; they came for work and were misled.
Frederick estimates that between 400 and 500 Ghanaians may currently be stranded in Cambodia, including some who are not formally registered within the Ghanaian community. He noted that other African countries, including Uganda and Kenya, have begun evacuating their citizens, and he is appealing to the Ghanaian government to take similar action.
The crisis has caused severe hardship for many of the affected individuals. Several of them can no longer afford rent and are struggling to feed themselves, with some forced to live in overcrowded conditions while facing serious financial distress. Frederick also disclosed that amid the turmoil, certain individuals have taken advantage of the desperation of others. He alleged that one man collected money from both Ghanaians and other African nationals, accumulating over $20,000 under the promise of helping to clear their overstay fines and facilitate their return home. After receiving payments, including about $4,000 each from three different people, the individual reportedly disappeared with the funds.
Frederick believes that establishing a Ghanaian consulate in Cambodia would help prevent such crises in the future by providing proper documentation support and monitoring recruitment activities. He also alleged that the same Chinese-linked recruiters continue to bring new Ghanaians into Cambodia, reportedly paying agents between $1,000 and $1,500 per recruit.
He is pleading with the Ghanaian government for urgent intervention to assist the stranded citizens in returning home safely. He concluded by encouraging victims to remain patient and hopeful, expressing confidence that with the right diplomatic engagement and government support, help will come.
Watch The Video Below:
About The Author
