Reliable reports coming in from the United Arab Emirates are suggesting that more than 500 Cameroonians are currently stranded in that part of the world.
The situation, we learned is due to the bad faith of officials of Cameroon’s consulate in the area.
It is alleged that the idea of voluntary repatriation was never the consulate’s idea but that of some Cameroonians in the UAE.
One of the stranded Cameroonians in the UAE has informed MMI that a group of Cameroonians who wanted to return home came together and decided they were going to arrange a chartered flight one month ago.
So they thought it wise to inform the Cameroonian consulate in the UAE to facilitate the process, we gathered from reliable sources.
“We tried to arrange a chartered flight a month ago but the… Cameroon consulate here spoilt everything for us by inflating the travel bills,” complained one of the stranded cameroonian.
Our informant revealed that the group had indeed arranged a chartered flight at a moderate rate of 2,000AED with a total of 123 passengers needed for the flight.
Instead of putting the money together and handing over to one person to go complete their arrangements with the airline they had arranged with, it was rather decided they take it to the Cameroon consulate where they could pay in their monies without fear and prejudice.
The consulate as per the reports then went ahead and made arrangements with a Nigerian airline and increased the fee to be paid by everyone, reduced the amount of luggage each had to bring along.
When quizzed why the fee was higher than it was supposed to be and why another airline was used, the consulate told them that prearranged arrangement could not go because the airline in question backed out of the deal.
“when we realized this, so many of us decided not to pay,” our source revealed.
“We are pleading on the government to open the airports as soon as possible because we can’t take it anymore” the source added.
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