In his quiet workshop in Accra, 33-year-old Antwi, a skilled mechanic, sits dejectedly. Just months ago, he sold two of his prized possessions - his cars - and spent a staggering 3,000 Canadian dollars (approximately GH¢35, 000) on what he thought was his ticket to a better life.
Instead, he found himself stranded in Côte d'Ivoire, victim to an elaborate scam that promised Canadian shores but delivered only heartbreak.
Since returning to Ghana, the disappointed migrant has taken to social media to share his story and warn prospective travellers about travel scams, hoping to pick his life back after being stripped of everything.
Although Antwi could not make it to Canada, his story paints stark illustration of a growing crisis in Ghana: the mass exodus of its youth, driven by a cocktail of desperation, aspiration, and, often, naivety.
The allure of 'Jakpa'
Social media platforms are abuzz with discussions about "jakpa" - the colloquial term for fleeing one's home country. The promise of "right systems" in developed nations, coupled with dreams of quality education and gainful employment, has created a siren song too powerful for many young Ghanaians to resist.
The numbers paint a grim picture. According to the Thematic Report on Migration 2021, over 77 per cent of Ghanaian emigrants fall between the ages of 20 and 49. Europe claims 37 per cent of these hopefuls, while 23.7 per cent set their sights on the Americas.
But perhaps most alarming is a 2021 study by Child Rights International (CRI), which revealed that 55 per cent of children aged 12-17 envisioned leaving Ghana by 2040. Their concerns? Jobs, education, and the allure of a higher standard of living abroad.
The root of despair
Ghana's youth exodus is symptomatic of deeper issues plaguing the nation. Successive governments have struggled to address endemic problems such as youth unemployment and entrenched poverty.
The Ghana Statistical Service's latest Multidimensional Poverty Report paints a sobering picture: over 7.3 million Ghanaians are multi-dimensionally poor, deprived not just financially but in crucial social indicators like health, education, and living standards.
A democracy under threat
As young Ghanaians flee, they take with them not just their skills and potential, but also their civic engagement. This brain drain poses a significant threat to Ghana's democracy, a concern that weighs heavily on institutions like the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).
Moreover, domestic challenges including breakdown of social and moral values, public apathy, weak public institutions, poor law enforcement, violent extremism and terrorism are increasingly threatening Ghana's democracy and the NCCE would have to be tactical in dealing with them as its mandate demands.
Established under Article 231 of the Constitution, the Commission has the mandate to promote and sustain Ghana's democracy, inculcating in the citizenry, the awareness of their rights and obligations through civic education.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghanaian Times, its Chairperson, Ms Kathleen Addy, admitted that it is in view of these threats that the NCCE as part of its flagship programmes, launched this year's Constitution Week on the theme; "Together we can build Ghana, get involved."
While seeking to promote peace ahead of a very crucial elections that would again test the muscle of Ghana's democracy in barely five months, Ms Addy said the theme also serves as a clarion call on Ghanaians to contribute their quota towards the country.
She said although the reasons for people wanting to leave the country may be valid, "Ghana is not a hopeless country. It is a country that finds itself in difficulty, which is the nature of building nations; you go through a rough patch but you keep going until you overcome it, and that is the attitude we must have as Ghanaians."
"We have to realise that the countries where you are moving to, people worked hard to build those countries. Democracy requires a lot of work. Everybody has a role to play; leadership as well as citizenry but when we arrive at a point where everybody is not playing their role, then our democracy is threatened, our constitution is threatened," she stated.
The road ahead
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As Ghana stands at this critical juncture, the need for collective action has never been more urgent. The NCCE's Constitution Week theme, "Together we can build Ghana, get involved," serves as a rallying cry for all Ghanaians to contribute to nation-building.
For political watchers, the mass exodus of Ghanaians particularly the youth not only depleted the country's active human resource needed for transformational development but reinforced political apathy; a situation which could be detrimental to Ghana's democracy in the near future.
The recent political turbulence in Kenya serves as a stark reminder of what's at stake. For Ghana to thrive, it must address the pressing issues of unemployment and 'hopelessness' affecting its youth. Only by reigniting a sense of patriotism and hope can Ghana stem the tide of its brightest minds seeking greener pastures abroad.
As the nation approaches a crucial election in five months, the choices made today will shape the Ghana of tomorrow. The question remains: Will Ghana rise to the challenge, or will it watch as its future walks out the door?
