Look what 2009 did to Ghanaians in Italy

In a year that crisis-crisis was the topic of discussions everywhere (perhaps except the Chinese who took advantage with the slogan: Opportunity! Let’s go for it) the Ghanaians community in Italy took a severe hit in 2009.

To think that Ghanacoop, a successful business co-operative formed by the Ghana Nationals Association in the northern Italian city, Modena, which was thriving and making gross income running into millions of euros has now run into bankruptcy and on the verge of being closed down, most Ghanaian individuals running smaller enterprises folded up, the Miss Ghana in Italy 2009 being cancelled for reasons of financial mishaps, the Ghanaian churches for that matter are running at half strength or no strength at all financially, all those sad and unpleasant stories of unemployment among others, tells you what 2009 did to many Ghanaians in Italy. It’s a year that will not be forgotten in a hurry. The story of Ghanacoop is very sad indeed as it was. Here were a group of hardworking Ghanaians who have sacrificed their time and efforts to build a lucrative business from the scratch importing from Ghana fresh pineapples, coconuts, mangoes (basically tropical fruits) to Italy, whilst exporting Italian wine, pasta among others to Ghana. The business has scaled to a point they were helping some communities in Ghana providing them electricity and hospital equipment, their efforts are being appreciated also at the United Nations. Then bang! Things started crumbling gradually under their own eyes, all in the name of crisis-crisis. I pray that such ingenuity which was seen of these diligent Ghanaians will be again channeled into another productive venture. The Council of Ghana Nationals Association in Italy (COGNAI) which has been the backbone of the various local Associations with activities was hardly seen on the radar in 2009. Except when it was seen cowering under the local Como Association which held a seminar for its youths it appeared in the shade throughout the year unable to take off with its activities.

The coffers of Miss Ghana in Italy, hosted by COGNAI, went bankrupt leading to cancellation of the event which would have been a grandiose occasion in view of the interest the contest has generated in the past three years. The crisis was everywhere, those Ghanaians with their own businesses hit a stumbling block and folded up. In the factories where most Ghanaians have been attached for many years it was: ‘come today’, ‘we don’t need you tomorrow’, which finally ended with: ‘we will call you when we need you’ or ‘don’t come at all’. In the most saddened cases both husband and wife were without a job with children to care for and feed.

Ghanaian churches were under constraints in these hard times. Church rent, miscellaneous incomes and attributes that go with running a church suffered in the course of working for God. Financially most of them were hard hit. I don’t have a problem with planting churches to attract more people into God’s Kingdom. What worries me is the rate at which Ghanaian churches (are they alone?) are spreading out like wild fire within their communities. Information I gathered indicates there are more than 80 Ghanaian churches in one city alone all under different names and doctrines. The number of Reverends, Bishops, Prophets, Prophetess, Apostles (you name them all) are increasing with the increase of churches within the communities. Is there anything particular in these titles that without them Ministers of the Gospel cannot do their work? Many of these churches in these localities can save themselves a whole lot of financial troubles if they come together to form one interdenominational church with a name not related to any of the individual churches. If you think that six churches in one locality of less than 5km. radius are paying a total of €10,000 as rent, it will be a wise decision to form one Big Church out of them. The combined units can easily build a Big Temple where they can all worship together. Are they not all heading towards the same God? But under such union, who is going to be the Head Pastor? This is the problem they will struggle with. And has the crisis affected the Ghana Embassy in Rome? The Embassy has remained a headless office without an Ambassador since June 2009. It’s like a hen whose throat has been severed and running in the dark. It was sad to see the former Ambassador, H.E. Agyei-Amoama, go all in the name of politics; progress was being made though it was grinding at a slow pace. The political party he belongs to was shown the exit door when Ghanaians voted them out of office and with that the hardworking Ambassador, whose inter human relation with Ghanaians has hardly been seen in Italy, had to go. It goes with the territory, the new Ghana Government wants someone who will sing the same tune like them but as at the time of writing this piece they have not yet finished with procedures to send in a new Ambassador, a year after coming into office. How I wish they mend the situation fast. Italy cannot be counted out when Ghana thinks of development in the area of infrastructure aside of other assistance they can give. They are good at that but it will need somebody as the Head of the Embassy in Rome to make the necessary connections and get them to Ghana. The year 2009 also left a case unresolved. The sad story of the 22- year-old Ghanaian student, Emmanuel Bonsu, who resides in Parma, and was allegedly brutally beaten by six Italian Municipal Police officers in 2007 for being suspected of peddling narcotic drugs at a public park is still in court. The young man I learnt is still living in fear and unable to go out alone. I hope justice will be meted out soon.

Against the backdrop of the ‘aching backbone’ which prevented the Ghanaians communities from going far with its activities some few individuals and groups made some marks worth mentioning.

Dayana Akosua Adu face appeared as the only African female on Italian TV. She works as newscaster at Rete Brescia TV (R.T.B.).

Her story would not have made news in some countries but in Italy it is in view of what immigrants has to face trying to establish what potentials or skills they have. Kudos ‘Akos’! Hope what you have achieved will encourage many immigrants who still think they cannot make it in Italy.

In music, I will single out Obenfu Kwaku Duah (alias Obenfu K.D.) whose effort over the past years remains unrecognised. He is not an artiste, he is the one pulling the strings behind the curtains for some of the most successful Ghanaian artistes in Italy. Duah is a Music Producer pushing all the stars unto the big stage, among them are gospel artistes Alex Antwi, Gloria Amanianpong, Anita Obeng, Jessica Sarkodie, Regina Akosua Doudwaa and hiplife singer, Nana Kwesi (alias Zaggidi). You deserve a pat on the back, ‘Mr Duah’.

The Talent Show in Vicenza organised by S2 Music Production was a big success. It enabled some unknown artistes to exhibit what they are capable of doing. I like what I saw at the ‘Kente’ Show in Modena and neighboring city Reggio Emilia during the year. It brought to the fore Ghana’s rich culture of traditional dresses and dancing. Italians and other foreign nationals who participated saw Ghana brought right in front of their eyes. Again, I commend the Ghana Nationals Association in Reggio Emilia for bringing together various Ghanaian churches in the city for a soul-inspiring Gospel Night Show at the tail end of the year. It really served the purpose intended. They sang to glorify God without all the doctrines. Some Ghanaian Unions in the country also deserves praise and I can mention here the Gadangme Union (natives of Greater Accra Region)- Emilia Romagna Branch, the Kwahuman Union, for their help sending equipment to hospitals and communities in Ghana. More grease to your elbows.

Do we look up to 2010 as the year of hope or wallow again in this quagmire of financial crisis? A lot will depend on us.