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Ghanaians in the UK on President’s
visit to Buckingham Palace
Samuel Dowuona,
Ghanadot
Immediately after the 50th
anniversary celebrations of Ghana’s independence here in
Accra, President John Agyekum Kufuor was in Buckingham
Palace at the invitation of the Queen.
The visit has made such impact on the lives of many
Ghanaians in the UK. For some it is has
made proud. For others it has boosted their
business opportunities. Ghanadots’
Samuel Dowouna took a trip to the UK to sample the views of
Ghanaians on the matter:
London, April 28, Ghanadot - So much has been said about
President’s John Agyekum Kufuor’s recent invitation by Queen
Elizabeth to England and his subsequent two-day visit to
Buckingham Palace. First, it was the first in about 40
years, and second it coincided with the Golden Jubilee of
Ghana’s independence from British colonial rule.
Many Ghanaians in the homeland have had their say on the
visit and its implications to the Ghanaian economy. Media
discourse on the visit has covered areas such the honour the
President brought to Ghana by wearing his
Kente cloth during a dinner held in his honour, the
10 year development plan Britain offered to Ghana during
that visit and quite a number of other related issues.
Some so called social commentators at
home, usually critical ones have dared to brandish
the visit as one of England’s honour for a faithful stooge
and others have been critical of the President perpetual
gazing of the gold plated ceilings in the Buckingham Palace.
When the President went to the Palace, there was a guard of
honour held for him and virtually all Ghanaians in the UK
and some from other parts of Europe,
proudly clad in their Kente gears,
thronged the Buckingham Palace practically in their
thousands to cheer and wave the Ghana flags during the
occasion.
Following that, there were several after parties all over
the city of London, mainly in the Ghanaian owned pubs, bars,
restaurants and recreational centres. Ghanaian entertainment
kingpins based in the UK really cashed in on the occasion.
Indeed others made lots of money selling Ghanaian souvenirs
– flags, t-shirts and all kinds of things. As a matter of
fact some non-Ghanaian stores even cashed in on the occasion
and made so much money selling Ghana at 50 items and other
items in Ghanaian red-gold-green colours with the black
stars.
One Ghanaian driver, Osei, told Ghanadot that some Ghanaian
pubs had to be closed down that night because the
revelries were
too loud and residents called in the police.
In spite of all the pump and pageantry and media frenzy that
characterized the president’s visit to the UK , it would
interest you to know that some Ghanaians in the UK
claimed they did not get a wind of
the visit, even though they live in London and the occasion
happened right under their noses.
Two ladies, Irene Boakye-Yiadom and one Stella were
surprised when Ghanadot inquired from them how the
president’s visit has impacted their lives in the UK. As if
by design both of them asked a series of questions; “really
- was the president here – when was that – how come we did
not hear about it…?”
One Ghanaian Dentist, who is almost always busy working,
thought that the President was in the Palace to be feted and
not to seek the welfare of Ghanaian’s resident in the UK .
“I did not expect his visit to impact our stay here in
anyway so I am not interested,” he said.
But some expected more from the visit, at least something in
the likeness of what the President negotiated for Ghanaians
resident in Italy on his last visit to that country.
n his visit to Italy, the
President managed to get the Italian government to offer
1,000 government job placements to Ghanaians in Italy and
also negotiated for those whose papers are not regularized
to do so for free.
Additionally, I am aware that the Italian Ambassador to
Ghana has since been working to get some juicy deals for
Ghanaians who do business between Ghana and Italy.
Jojo Dadson, a senior bus driver was worried that after the
President’s visit, immigration rules keep getting tighter by
the day in the UK and Ghanaians, like all other foreign
nationals resident in the UK continue to suffer from the
iron fist of the Home Office.
Yao Kumah, a Media Consultant thought that besides the 10
year development plan the President took with him on his
visit; it would have been great if he had at least asked for
some special immigration regime for Ghanaians resident in
the UK as a golden jubilee package from England to Ghana.
He was of the view that the 10 year development would
largely benefit the homeland, “but those of us here are also
Ghanaians and we need to see our president negotiating
something for us just like he signed an MOU with Tony Blair
to stop UK from recruiting Ghanaian medical practitioners.”
Just when I had had it with all the complaints from Ghanaian
residents in the UK, about the president visit, I chanced on
a man of God! Rev. Kingsley Appiagyei, Head Pastor of
Trinity Baptist Church , in West Norwood London and he saved
the day for the President.
Pastor K, as he is affectionately called, was quite excited
about the visit – he said “the visit has not only brought
prestige to Ghanaians resident in the UK but also put Ghana
on a higher pedestal in the conscience of British citizens”.
He explained that until recently the average Briton knew
absolutely nothing about Ghana. But when the Black Stars
beat Jamaica 4-1 in a the pre-world cup friendly in
Leicester City, UK then subsequently beat Czech Republic and
the USA in the world cup itself, the image of Ghana has
never been the same in the minds of British citizens.
“Recently the Black Stars beat Nigeria 4-1 on British soil
and then comes the President’s visit to the Buckingham
palace, which was telecast lived on BBC TV across UK and the
world.
“To think that the Queen has only
two of such state visits in a year and Ghana’s President was
picked as one was a great privilege and a plus for the image
of our country.”
But there is a down side to that prestige and respect
Ghanaians have won in the heart of Britons. I am told that
more Nigerian 419 operatives are now claiming Ghanaian
citizenship than ever before. In other words Nigerians in
the UK have largely become Ghanaians!
Mr. Jib Hagan, a Ghanaian-born British citizen was also very
positive about the visit as his Worthing county neighbours,
schools and council have been very forthcoming with their
support for his CARE Computers for Developing Countries
project since the President’s historic visit.
“The President’s visit had engendered some amount of
confidence in what I am doing because the people now know
where Ghana is and therefore they know where their support
is going to,” he said with broad smiles on his face
Well, that’s theirs, what is your take?
Samuel Dowouna, April 28, 2007 London, Ghanadot.com
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