A Ghanaian teacher who resigned from the Ghana Education Service (GES) in search of better economic opportunities abroad is now stranded in Thailand after his dream of a better life turned into a financial and immigration nightmare.
The teacher, Ebenezer, who previously taught in the Wenchi Municipality, left Ghana hoping to secure a better-paying teaching job to improve the living conditions of his wife and two young children. However, his journey has instead left him burdened with debt, trapped in a foreign country, and desperately appealing for assistance to return home.
According to him, he arrived in Thailand after the main teacher recruitment season had ended, making it extremely difficult to secure employment. After submitting numerous online applications and visiting several schools, he received only one teaching offer with a monthly salary of about $470—far below what he had expected and insufficient to sustain both himself and his family in Ghana.
HIS ORDEAL
His ordeal worsened when the newly established school that employed him lacked the required documents to obtain a work permit for foreign teachers. As a result, he was compelled to convert his tourist visa into a student visa at a cost of more than $2,200. Having exhausted his savings, he borrowed money from his employer, which is now deducted from his monthly salary.
After the deductions, Ebenezer says he is left with barely enough to pay rent, transportation, food, utilities, and support his wife and two children back home.
His immigration problems deepened when the visa agent who processed his documents withheld his passport because he still owed approximately $1,800 in processing fees. Without his passport, he says he cannot renew his immigration status or leave Thailand.
With his current visa set to expire on 11 September 2026, Ebenezer fears he could become an undocumented migrant if he is unable to settle the debt and retrieve his passport before the deadline.
As if his financial struggles were not enough, tragedy struck when his mother passed away in September 2025. According to him, she had been a pillar of support for his family in Ghana, helping to provide food and other basic necessities. Her death has left the entire burden of caring for his family on his shoulders.
He also revealed that he is still servicing a bank loan in Ghana that was guaranteed by three fellow teachers. Whenever he failed to make repayments, their salaries were reportedly affected, forcing him to borrow from friends and relatives just to keep the loan current.
Speaking about his predicament, Ebenezer said he never imagined that his decision to migrate in search of a better future would leave him trapped in such a desperate situation.
“I came abroad with the hope of improving my family’s life, but today I find myself overwhelmed by debts, immigration expenses, and uncertainty. I have worked hard, yet I cannot escape this situation. My greatest wish now is to recover my passport and eventually return home to my family,” he said.
A GROWING TREND ACROSS AFRICA
Ebenezer’s experience reflects a growing trend across many African countries, where thousands of young professionals, including teachers, nurses, engineers, and university graduates, leave their home countries in search of better-paying jobs and improved living conditions abroad. While many succeed through legal employment pathways, others encounter unexpected challenges such as deceptive recruitment practices, irregular immigration status, exploitative working conditions, mounting debts, and the high cost of obtaining or renewing visas and work permits.
Economic hardship, unemployment, low wages, and the desire to provide better opportunities for their families continue to drive migration among African youth. However, migration experts have repeatedly cautioned that relocating without verified job offers, proper documentation, or adequate financial preparation can expose migrants to significant risks, including financial exploitation, labour abuse, and prolonged legal and immigration difficulties.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP HIM
He is therefore appealing to Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Ghanaian Embassy, philanthropists, corporate organisations, and benevolent individuals to come to his aid by helping him raise the outstanding $1,800 needed to retrieve his passport before his visa expires.
Ebenezer says any support, prayers, or financial assistance will not only help him recover his travel document but also give him hope of rebuilding his life after what he describes as a painful lesson in irregular labour migration.
He therefore appreciated that, Dominic Ayine, minister for attorney General in Ghana once offered him a little assistance but that couldn’t get him out of his situation.
His email address is ealangura@yahoo.com
You can equally contact Journalist Ibrahim Abode on ibrahimabode45@gmail.com
STORY BY IBRAHIM ABODE
BlueWaves Radio 93.7 / Maurice Duncan/ Bolgatanga
