According to a World Bank report, Ghana is one of the top 10 countries in the world for emigration. Since 1960, over one million Ghanaians have traveled outside of their home country, according to The Economist.
The Diaspora, on the other hand, is returning to the motherland after years abroad. This raises the question of why Ghanaians desire to leave the country while the Diaspora is returning.
Ghanaians in the Diaspora are coming back in huge numbers
One major issue that prevented people from moving back has been resolved – dual citizenship.
President Akufo-Addo’s government has made this possible with the amendment to the Ghana Citizenship Act 2003 (Act 570) which came into force on December 31st 2017.
This will allow individuals born in Ghana but having another nationality to apply for a second passport.
This encourages many people in the diaspora, who were previously against returning home because they feared losing their foreign citizenship or being discriminated against by their own people.
Why are Ghanaians leaving the country?
Many Ghanaians want to leave the country because they are dissatisfied with the economical situation in Ghana, which appears to be deteriorating in recent years.
The cost of living continues to rise, but wages are barely rising.
Jobs are scarce because corruption pervades every level of society. Many young people see leaving Ghana as their only hope for a better future.
They believe they will have more opportunities abroad and will live a more comfortable life than they could ever hope for in Ghana.
Poor health facilities and rising pollution-related health problems make life unbearable; on top of that, many people believe that governance quality has deteriorated.
Ghanaians, like citizens of other developing countries, want a better life.
They want to see what else is out there, to see how life can be better under different conditions.
The rise of social media
Social media has enticed people to see what better lives can look like. It’s made it easier to compare people’s lifestyles, as well as their wealth, success, and happiness.
Social media has also provided a platform for people with talent (such as vloggers) who would not have otherwise been discovered.
These projections of lives outside the country awe the locals and heighten their desire to experience such things.
And as always, the grass always looks greener on the other side.
The grass is definitely extra green on the other side in the mind of someone unhappy or unsatisfied with their current situation.
Jobs are scarce
Ghana’s unemployment rate is currently high and it’s difficult to find jobs. The country has been experiencing an economic downturn in recent months, with high inflation and low growth rates.
While there are signs that things are improving, there aren’t enough jobs for Ghanaians.
The government isn’t helping enough to create new jobs in industries such as manufacturing or farming, which could provide opportunities for people looking for work outside of urban areas where many businesses are concentrated.
Cost of living keeps increasing but incomes are hardly matching
This is a long-discussed issue, but it appears that the Ghanaian government is not listening to its people. There are many reasons the cost of living has risen, while wages have remained stagnant.
Inflation is one of the primary reasons for this.
Inflation raises prices, requiring more money to purchase items such as food or fuel.
The cost of living continues to rise, but wages are barely rising. Every month, you have less money in your pocket because everything you buy costs more than it did before!
Poor health facilities & increasing health problems from pollution
Health facilities in Ghana have become expensive for most Ghanaians to afford, and they are not affordable to foreign ones either. The quality of public health care isn’t the best because of a lack of sanitation, infrastructure, and environmental awareness.
The Doctor to patient ratio is woefully inadequate and although there is a national health insurance scheme, most illnesses aren’t covered and people have to pay through their own pockets for them.
The general sense among many people is that the quality of healthcare isn’t the best and the government does not seem to have any plan for solving the country’s worsening problems.
The country's governance system is characterized by...
… corruption, lack of transparency and accountability.
There is a general sense among many people that the quality of governance has deteriorated, and the government does not seem to have any plan for solving the country’s worsening problems.
The failure of governments at all levels to deal decisively with corruption has also been cited as one reason why many Ghanaians leave their homeland.
Some of these problems are because of poor leadership skills by the leaders while others result from lackluster economic policies.
Corruption is a major issue that has been plaguing this country for years now, but nothing seems to be done about it by successive governments in power.
This has led most Ghanaians abroad to view corruption as endemic in our society, which makes them feel uncomfortable returning home and as such would want to stay abroad.
Even with all the progress in Ghana, many people are still leaving the country. It is easy to understand why Ghanaians want to leave Ghana.
The country has a lot of potential and many things can be done to improve the situation. Regardless of all the shortcomings of the country, it will be bad to say there are no steps directed at fixing them.
Progressively, the country’s political climate is becoming very stable. There is an increase in the distribution and accessibility to social amenities.
So let’s stay hopeful!
Well written Chantel! Ghana has SO much potential. I really hope that those with power i.e government utilise this potential so growth can be sustainable and natives can actually reap the benefits! Frustrating but remaining hopeful 🙂