Experts have noted that the rise of various Diasporas and their economic exploits has been a huge advantage regarding financial resources and skills or knowledge for development in many countries.

It is becoming increasingly common for countries to attract their Diaspora members for investment and development efforts. 

The migration-remittances-development nexus has evolved members of the Diaspora into transnational agents whose activities involve the circulatory flows of remittances or people and their ideas.

Even ‘fixed capital’ stocks such as land, houses and business property are bought and maintained with transnational money.

Diaspora expertise

There are many members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in the advanced countries who have acquired huge expertise, knowledge and resources (academically, economically, technically or technologically, etc.) and would like to get back home to establish something productive.

Some are engaged in the freighting business to transport goods in containers to Africa, while others own small companies and other businesses particularly in the services sector, and they can even use that to finance other businesses at home.

Many can also offer consultancy services for the growth of our dear nation.

Threat

Yet, there are situations where members of the Ghanaian Diaspora who try to come back home to invest or help in building our dear country could be seen as a threat to those at home in terms of taking their jobs and other opportunities.

This may be understandable in a way, but generally members of the Ghanaian Diaspora should not be seen as a threat.

Rather, the Ghanaian Diaspora should be considered people inherent with human and social capital, in ideas and knowledge acquired in their country of settlement.

Frustration

I think such a scenario of them as a threat leaves many members of the Ghanaian Diaspora frustrated.

Many Ghanaian migrants are active in development projects and in politics back home. Others are involved in civil society organisations by African Diasporas and they build, for example, a library, a well, or public toilet with a sign showing that it was built and donated by the migrants.

Most of the migrants would want to derive mere joy from their efforts and contributions. So, to be regarded in other light is quite frustrating. 

Diaspora bonds

Another way to attract members of the Diaspora to contribute is through Diaspora bonds, which are issued by governments to their Diaspora populations. Experts see Diaspora bonds to offer a particularly large untapped opportunity for African countries to attract additional development finance.  

Some members of the Ghanaian Diaspora are even proposing a Ghanaian Diaspora Bond as a way to raise funds. It has been suggested that since the amount of remittances from the Ghanaian Diaspora fetches over six billion US dollars every year, setting up a Diaspora Bond will encourage many members of the Diaspora to invest in it.

Actually, some countries have gone into a Diaspora Bond mechanism and are known to have been quite successful.

Maybe, the idea of a Ghanaian Diaspora Bond should seriously be considered, if not already done.     

Mutual respect

Finally, nobody can deny the fact that citizens at home and the Ghanaian Diaspora need each other to help build our dear country.

Of course, there could be situations where Ghanaians at home may feel that members of the Diaspora look down on them.

The Ghanaian Diaspora needs to respect those residing at home and vice versa.

As I wrote some time ago, if members of the Diaspora are more proactive and impart back to others in Ghana the knowledge, experiences and the good things seen whilst living in the advanced countries, the better it will be for our country.

Thank you!   

• The writer is a Ghanaian lecturer at

the University of Helsinki in Finland

By Perpetual Crentsil