Ghanaian Man In Italy Narrates How He Wasted 16 Years Of His Life Trying To Travel To Europe

• When John Dugan had the dream to travel, he was 20 years old, but he tried for several years before getting the chance
• The Ghanaian, who then worked as a carpenter, left his huge showroom behind and journeyed to Libya so he could get to Europe
• It took him 16 years to finally get to Italy, and he is now happy he left Ghana, describing the European country as a good place for him

A Ghanaian living in Italy, John Dugan, has admitted that he wasted almost 16 years of his life trying to relocate from Ghana to abroad instead of focusing on his carpentry job in Ghana.

John said that from age 20, he started trying to travel outside of Ghana to any European country. He, however, did not get the chance till he was 36 years old.

Read also

Ghanaian mother shares plan to relocate to USA with children due to economic hardship in Ghana

In an interview with DJ Nyaami on SVTV Africa, John said he tried to cross to Europe from Libya, but that took a long time.

He recounted that he left Ghana in 2007 through Cote D'Ivoire to Libya. When he got to the northern African country, he called his family abroad to send him money to cross the sea, but they did not mind him.

John added that he got a job in Libya later to fund his migration, and since he could not leave Libya for Europe, he decided to travel back to Ghana after three years.

"I walked through the desert and joined a car at a point. Before I realised I was in Kumasi. When I returned my passport of ten years had expired. It meant I had wasted 10 years of my life. I sold my carpentry shop, about 40ft container."

Read also

Germany-based GH man details his struggle with homelessness after his brother threw him out of home

John said he later learnt of a South Africa move, where he could go through the country to America in 2010.

“A friend told me about a South Africa-Mexico-US connection in 2010, and I did it. I didn't know anybody in South Africa but I just wanted to leave Ghana. It was my biggest mistake because those there even wanted to go to Libya. I travelled to Ethiopia again but was deported back to SA and eventually returned to Ghana."

John narrated that when he returned to Ghana, he married and decided not to migrate again. He got a taxi and started working as a driver. However, when he found out that some young boys he grew up with had travelled, he revived his mission to move to Europe.

He said he went to Libya again, this time by air, stayed for two weeks and travelled to Italy by ship. Even though it took him a long to get to Italy, John got his documents in six months and started working as a carpenter in a hotel, he added.

Read also

Ghanaian man in Belgium sold his shop and all possessions to travel abroad only to eat from trash cans

Watch the video below:

Man regrets spending GH¢12K to travel abroad

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that an Italy-based Ghanaian said he regrets using GH¢12,000 he saved for five years to travel abroad.

Francis Yankey said he was earning GH¢700 monthly back in Ghana and managed to save the said amount. He also took the deadly trip to Italy through Libya.

Homeless man abroad begs to return to Ghana

Another Ghanaian in Italy recounted his plight as a homeless man in the country.

Wofa Thomas, who is also visually impaired, has allegedly been denied citizenship by the Embassy of Ghana in Rome and left to the mercy of the cold.

He went to Rome after someone assured him of help to secure his documents back to Ghana but he has been left stranded.

Source: YEN.com.gh