Is Ghana Really Hospitable To Foreigners?

As for Ghana, foreigners come here and maltreat us in our own land because of our legendary hospitality whilst natives of this country are maltreated when they go to other countries.

The above statement and other derivatives with synonymous contents are common refrains in Ghana.

I was a firm believer and proponent of such statements until recently when I decided to convince myself of their validity with the common evidence that are frequently utilized by us.

My attempts at finding evidence to validate the statements were not only unsuccessful but afterwards I rather began to question whether we (Ghanaians) are really hospitable to foreigners.

I am a patriotic Ghanaian and someone who has lived almost his entire life in this country. However, you may probably have your doubts about our internally acclaimed hospitality after going through these few examples.

Election Petition - Massive criticism of the precautionary measures of the US

Prior to the Supreme Court (SC) ruling of Ghana's election petition on August 29, 2013, the United States Embassy, taking a cue from the atmosphere that prevailed in the country, admonished US citizens in Ghana to exercise care before, during and after the SC verdict.

Surprisingly, Ghanaians could not help but descend heavily on the US with invectives and insults. We found nothing wrong with all the peace messages and calls for constrained by the Peace Council of Ghana and other Ghanaians but we found everything wrong with the US extending the same call to their citizens in the country.

Fulani herdsmen - Is it Fulanis or us?
Our claim as a country is that Fulanis enter this country with their cattle, forcibly occupy Ghanaian lands, rape our women and kill any Ghanaian who proffers resistant to their macho activities.

For the sake of argument, let's say this narration is true. What does that say of our border and border patrols with regards to the ease with which people with large cattle herds enter this country? What does it say of our law enforcement if an identified group could go about easily raping and killing Ghanaians?

However, the issue of Fulani herdsmen is deeper than that; there have been allegations that usually the cattle, the lands and even the guns are given to the Fulanis by Ghanaians who in most instances own the cattle and demand the full protection of the animals from the Fulanis under very challenging work conditions.

It is therefore unfortunate that when the Fulani issue is being discussed in the media, no Fulani is invited to present his side of the story. Is it because the Fulanis are foreigners?

The Chinese: Galamsey et al
Although 'galamsey' activities are undertaken by several Ghanaians, we've made this illegal practice solely synonymous with the Chinese. Similar to the Fulani issue, we have not paid close attention to allegations that the lands for illegal mining and de facto permits to mine are given to the Chinese by Ghanaians at exorbitant prices.

Our Chinese friends have also been harshly criticized for engaging in legitimate restaurant business and offering textile products at reasonable prices compared to the astronomic prices we have to pay for similar local products.

Mr. Price incident - Barbaric but is it exceptional?

The overwhelming criticism that Ghanaians gave to the humiliation of the three ladies who allegedly stole panties at Mr. Price, Accra mall was commendable since meting out instant punishment is primitive and should not be condoned. However, we are privy to so many incidents where Ghanaians mete out instant punishment to alleged thieves and at times even referees at football matches, in some cases, leading to deaths. However, many a Ghanaian has acted unconcerned with such incidents but Ghanaians in unison found their voice to condemn the South African owned Mr. Price for the above incident.

Football complaints - if we do it, it's ok
When Ghanaian football clubs and national teams travel outside the country for competitive football matches, we are habitually told of how they are inhumanely treated which usually results in a backlash of the hosting clubs and countries by Ghanaians.

However, some visiting national teams and clubs also complain of similar harsh treatments on and off the field when in Ghana.

Issues such as visiting teams training on car parks, doubtful excessive injury times and  award of very questionable penalties and decisions are a few issues that visiting teams have complained about when in Ghana for football matches.

Predictably, we tend to be disinterested in such complaints.

These are just a few examples but can we indeed genuinely say that Ghana is hospitable to foreigners? You decide.

By Kwame Agyei
[email protected]