Anger as Netherlands-based Ghanaian values Dutch Passport more than a Ghanaian PhD

Mr Happiness is a Netherlands-based Ghanaian

Academics in Ghana are enraged after a Netherlands-based Ghanaian claimed that his Dutch passport offers more opportunities than a Ghanaian PhD.

According to the man who has been named Mr. Happiness, opportunities that are available to him as Dutch beat opportunities a Ghanaian PhD can give to any Ghanaian.

He argues that he can easily get a visa to the United States of America just because he has a Netherlands passport; something a PhD holder in Ghana cannot get.

His claims have been met with fierce outrage from the academic community in Ghana who think it is about time people give respect to academics.

To them, getting a PhD is not about the monetary benefits but rather how the knowledge acquired is used to impact society and change fortunes.

One PhD student at the University of Ghana, Chris Atadika reacting to the claim said “If you’re a PhD holder and you believe that the essence of your PhD primarily lies in how much you should be able to earn in terms of monetary value after your PhD, and you’re earning less than you expected so you believe that your PhD is worthless then I’m sorry to tell you that you are worthless not your PhD.

"...The PhD training firstly emphasises one’s contribution to the body of knowledge (literature) and secondly, emphasises the significance of one’s research study on policy and practice in that field all through research. Unless of course, you enrolled in some strange PhD program somewhere, but where does it say in the PhD training that the more you earn after your PhD the more valuable your PhD is?” he quizzed.

Another senior government official called Sandra Ewool said, “Dutch passport mpo nie, 3na Amelica passport de3, they weeeeeee press press awa necks hia...”

Several other comments do not agree with the claim that a Netherlands passport offers opportunities that a Ghanaian PhD cannot offer.

My Dutch Passport is worth more than a PhD from the UNIVERSITY of GHANA pic.twitter.com/FkBezhHutB
— kofigabs (@kofigabs) June 2, 2024

I had Pneumonia in June 2008, at 37 Military Hospital 🏥 🇬🇭 with NO BED 🛌. Thank God for My Dutch Citizenship I will never experience this again pic.twitter.com/C8pF3VrxAI
— kofigabs (@kofigabs) June 5, 2024

My Dutch Passport is More Valuable than a PhD from Ghana’s Premier University aka LEGON pic.twitter.com/KDWNz7YRGX
— kofigabs (@kofigabs) June 4, 2024