From: Stephen A. Quaye, Toronto-Canada.

During his tenure as the president of the Republic of Ghana, the late professor John Evans Atta Mills commissioned highly persons and capable individuals to serve the country in foreign missions as high commissioners, ambassadors and consul generals.

It could be recalled that at one of his commissioning service, he cautioned the diplomats against being Champaign poppers instead of seeking the good of the country and its citizens in foreign destinations.

Maybe that is why the high commissioner to United Kingdom Professor Kwaku Danso Boafo, has come out to enlighten us about the number of Ghanaians languishing in various prisons in London or UK.

He gave the cause of these able citizens staying behind the iron curtains with the major cause being over staying their visas in the country or better still crossing the country’s immigration boarder illegally.
The high commissioner made it simple for me to understand that his outfit was carrying out numerous programmes to see to it that those citizens were safe behind the iron curtains and even went on to hint of programmes to repatriate those willing to return to Ghana.

That was a good one to hear. After all he is not being a Champaign popper in London. But he failed to tell us whether our brothers and sisters who are trapped in that country were not the same people who have tried to escape the economic hardship back home in Ghana by deciding to seek greener pastures in United Kingdom.

Therefore helping a number of them who are facing difficulties in consolidating their status in London will be from frying pan to fire because already some of them have sold their businesses, cocoa farms, houses, precious jewels or lease them for money whiles others collected big loans to enable them migrate to their foreign destination of choice.
So no one in such condition struggling to make money to go and clear his debt will easily and willingly come forward and sign repatriation documents to be bundled and put in air plane and send back home.
The very first question one will throw at him is what am going back home to do for a living? If he is promising them job placement back home in Ghana if they accept repatriation, has he find out a number of industrious men and women who have finished their higher learning and still remaining unemployed?
Yes it is true that a number of Ghanaians who are academically sound want to return to Ghana but they have changed their mind because they find the environment not industrial friendly for them to put what they have learnt into practice to create employment and wealth for themselves.
But all said and done, it is factual that immigration issues are getting tough in many European countries as well as in North America. Persons described as illegal immigrants are being deported every day back to their home country.
Ghanaians in Canada are very much worried about the rate at which fellow citizens residing in United Kingdom are being described as illegal immigrants and chased out of the country therefore praying for the betterment of their lives.
But in all these there is hope at the end of the tunnel which means Ghanaians should take a greater advantage of the education opportunities their countries of residence offer to acquire knowledge and skills in various professions which when repatriated can practice to create employment and wealth for themselves.
For instance in UK, one can offer any professional course through distance education programme the country offers which upon graduation will receive a certificate recognized in Ghana for any job placement.
Apart from my work alongside practicing journalism and writing in Toronto-Canada, I have just enrolled on Travel and Tourism distance course being offered by a reputable institution here.
Ghanaian High Commissions and embassy’s can also encourage fellow citizens resident in the countries that they are serving mother Ghana at to take advantage in such opportunities instead of keeping the ancient mindset of “survival of the fittest”.
Currently some of us are aware that certain governments are going to use computer data base system to track illegal immigrants and deport them from their country. There is no need to take chance.
But people can take great advantage of their moment of being in those countries in this passing moments by acquiring knowledge and skills in various professions which when applied else where can create employment and wealth for themselves.
Over to you Professor Kweku Danso Boafo.To Ghanaians in the diaspora, a word to the wise is enough.
THE GREENER PASTURES ARE WITHERING VERY FAST.
End.