We have to be cautious about positioning Ghana as resettlement destination for diaspora – Chief Moomen


 
 

Poet and playwright Chief Moomen is urging the government to carefully reconsider promoting Ghana as a resettlement destination for the African diaspora.

Speaking on Joy FM's Showbiz A-Z, he expressed concerns about the potential impact on the standard of living for ordinary Ghanaians if there is a significant increase in diaspora settlement.

He explained that with an increase in diasporas settling in Ghana, citizens risk being priced out.

“There is this whole positioning of Ghana especially to the diaspora, ‘come back, return, invest and buy a land’, if we do not manage it very well, it is going to cause tension in the future. Because asking people to come and resettle and buy lands, there's beginning to be a pushback.”

He added that there are concerns “the living standards will go beyond the affordability of the ordinary Ghanaians. If we have a lot of these people coming to buy lands and houses, it means prices are being jacked up, so the ordinary Ghanaian is going to suffer. If we don't manage it well, it will come to a time when the population is going to push back, against people coming, and we will experience our own immigration crises.”

Chief Moomen suggested that while Ghana should be open and welcoming to everyone, it might be more prudent to position the country as a pilgrimage for diasporans rather than a resettlement destination.

Drawing a parallel with the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, he proposed that "I don’t think we should have a very active policy that says people should come and resettle. Our positioning should be more of a transit, as a pilgrimage, almost a Mecca for the Pan African. The Muslims that go to Mecca don't go to stay there, they go in millions and return."

He stated that if the frenzy resettling in Ghana grows, it will come with unintended consequences.

Chief Moomen added that “whereas there is an opportunity to expand the real tourism numbers, we should also be careful the way we position Ghana as a resettlement destination for the African diaspora.”



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