The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration says the ban on the recruitment of Ghanaians to work in the Gulf States is still in force.
The Ministry has, however, clarified that the ban does not affect lawful recruitment of skilled workers or non-domestic house helps to Gulf States.
The many reported cases of abuse against Ghanaians working in the Gulf countries compelled the Employment Ministry to impose the ban.
As part of measures to implement the ban, the Minister of Employment, Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, at the time instructed the Labour Department not to issue further licenses to Employment Agencies to engage in such businesses. He said the ban was necessary, as many Ghanaians, who are usually employed as house helps in Gulf countries are often physically abused.
But the Coalition of Licensed Labour Migration Agencies and Returnee Migrants has challenged the decision, calling on the government to lift the suspension.
In September 2019 the Ghana Immigration Service revealed that about 22 Ghanaians were deported from Saudi Arabia with harrowing tales of assault and sexual abuse. The Ghanaians were aged between 21 and 38 years and worked in Saudi Arabia as house helps.
Another report by the Ghana Immigration Service, in 2015 also revealed that more than 2 thousand young Ghanaian women were stranded in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, only 5 months after reaching those countries through fake recruitment agencies that promised them lucrative jobs.
Faced with high unemployment, a number of African migrants travel to Saudi Arabia with the promise of good pay. However, they are often subjected to deprivations, according to reports.