Segment: Ghana Has the Capacity for Greatness - But Implementation Is Where We Fall Short.

Summary

---

Episode Overview

Title: Ghana Has the Capacity for Greatness - But Implementation Is Where We Fall Short
Host: Derrick Abaitey
Podcast: Konnected Minds Podcast
Date: January 25, 2026

This episode explores Ghana’s untapped potential for greatness, with a focus on the gap between capacity and effective implementation—especially regarding government actions, the relationship with the diaspora, and obstacles people face when returning home. Through personal anecdotes and research insights, the conversation provides actionable advice for members of the Ghanaian diaspora who are considering moving back.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Government Efforts and Messaging to the Diaspora

• The hosts begin by discussing the perception among some Ghanaians that the government is overly focused on supporting the diaspora, perhaps at the expense of locals ([00:00]).
• Speaker A highlights that “Ghana is still a developing country and there's only so much that a developing country can actually do when they are also trying to develop themselves” ([00:18]).

2. Ghana’s Capacity for Mobilization

• Speaker A contends that Ghana demonstrated its capacity for large-scale mobilization during the early COVID-19 response, showing the country “has the capability of complete greatness” ([00:39]).
  • Specifics:
    • Immediate quarantine of travelers when borders closed in March 2020.
    • Task forces tracking arrivals using travel documents and, reportedly, mobile phone data to find and test people ([01:18]).
    • “Washing your hands was major for any illness… Just seeing how people really mobilized…we only had our lockdown for 21 days” ([02:44]).
• Memorable quote:

  “We have the capacity to do some of the things that we need to do.” (A, [02:17])

3. Implementation Shortcomings

• While acknowledging the nation’s capacity, Speaker A emphasizes shortcomings in consistent execution:
  • “That kind of mobilization…could be applied in so many other areas, like mobilizing to fix the roads, mobilizing to…improve some of the school buildings… but it's not always being done.” ([03:25])
• The hosts agree that the initial COVID-19 response was commendable but voice frustration with ongoing financial burdens like the 1% COVID tax ([03:11]).

4. Relationship Between Locals and the Diaspora

• Based on research—citing authors Aron Nate and Mohamed Abdullah Eta—the conversation turns to the challenges faced by returnees, with reintegration identified as the greatest difficulty ([04:02]).
• Speaker A notes:
  • Relationships vary: “If you are a Ghanaian who is more educated or more exposed…there’s a tendency for you to get along with the diaspora more” ([04:34]).
  • Tensions arise as some locals accuse diaspora returnees of being “the new colonizers” or of mistreating workers ([05:02]).
  • Diaspora influence on rising costs: “Some Ghanaians say prices have gone up because of the diaspora” ([05:37]).
  • Example: Increases in hair-braiding prices as diasporans pay more than locals accustomed to lower rates, indirectly raising the cost of living ([05:51]).
  • Once diasporans settle, they realize the cost pressure themselves, as initial high spending habits can distort local markets ([06:28]).

5. Practical Advice for Moving Back to Ghana

• Speaker B asks for a “Top Move Back Guide” ([07:03]).
• Speaker A’s advice for the diaspora considering a return ([07:12]):
  • Plan well: Assess monthly living costs by actually visiting.
  • Make a research trip: “Come to Ghana… try to spend three months here if you can afford to.”
  • Avoid December for judgment: “Don’t come in December to try to decide if you want to live here.”
  • Scout locations: Explore different neighborhoods and regions before deciding.
  • Investigate schools: If you have children, look into schools and their tuition.

Notable quote:

“If you come blind and you don't know, that's when you're going to really fail and feel like, what did I do?” (A, [07:49])

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Capacity vs. Implementation:

  “Ghana has the capability of complete greatness… but sometimes things are not implemented the way that they should.” (A, [00:36])

• On COVID-19 response:

  “Ghana’s doing that. They're actually going full on to find people to test them… we have the capacity to do some of the things that we need to do.” (A, [02:17])

• On diaspora integration:

  “Some people have accused [the diaspora] of becoming the new colonizers.” (A, [05:14])

• On adapting to local realities:

  “But once you’re living here, you realize that it can get quite costly when the prices of things are going up.” (A, [06:29])

• On planning a move back:

  “Come visit, figure out how much you want to spend to feel comfortable living here… How do you want your kids educated?” (A, [07:40])

---

Important Segment Timestamps

• [00:00] – Introduction to government, diaspora focus, and national development constraints
• [00:36] – Ghana’s capacity for greatness and COVID-19 as a litmus test
• [02:44] – Rapid hands-on response and lessons for other sectors
• [03:11] – Public policy and frustration with the COVID tax
• [04:02] – Academic research on diaspora reintegration and challenges
• [04:34] – Dynamics of relationships between locals and returnees
• [05:37] – Diaspora-driven price inflation and local perceptions
• [07:12] – “Top Move Back Guide” — practical advice for returnees

---

Flow and Tone

The conversation is lively, frank, and mixes personal experience with analytical insights. The hosts adopt a pragmatic but positive outlook, emphasizing both the achievements and ongoing challenges in Ghana’s development story, particularly as it relates to the diaspora.

---

This summary captures the core themes, insights, and advice from the episode and is helpful for anyone interested in Ghana’s progress, diaspora engagement, and the realities of moving or returning to the country.

Transcript

[A]

Why isn't our government helping us? And they're focused on the diaspora. I've heard Ghanaians say stuff like that. So I think I know the diaspora affairs office right now is really trying to do things to support the diaspora as far as with residency and stuff like that. I think that's the key is. I think the messaging is what's key. People understanding. Because Ghana is still a developing country and there's only so much that a developing country can actually do when they are also trying to develop themselves, if that makes sense.

[B]

Do you think we are ready to call them back?

[A]

I think I think Ghana has the capacity to call people back. But I think that sometimes things are not implemented the way that they should. That's what I think. So Covid time. I'm going to go back to that time. Covid time is when I saw that Ghana really has the capability of complete greatness. And I say that because watching how Ghana handled Covid in the beginning showed me that we have the ability to mobilize and do what needs to be done for the greater good of the country. I remember when the whole world was falling apart in. It was like March 2020 and you saw people like dying left, right and center in other countries that were supposed to be first world, so called first world developed nations. And when Ghana decided to close its borders because a lot of countries were doing that, there were three planes on the way to the country. And when those three planes landed, immediately those people were put into quarantine to prevent possible spread of the virus into the country. While they tested some of those people in quarantine and discovered that some of those people in fact came in with it, they made the decision to backtrack and check people from the previous four weeks who arrived in Ghana. And they actually, because those days you had to fill out those cards and so they actually had records of where people were staying because you had to put where you were going to be staying. And they actually had a task force of people whose jobs were to go find these people who came to Ghana within the four weeks prior so they can test them so they can check to see these people coming with the country with COVID And I know somebody who told me that some people came to her gate looking for her because she was one of the people who came in those four weeks prior to check them, to check, to see. And somebody told me, I didn't get a factual confirmation from someone who works for the phone companies, but somebody told me that the phone companies actually were releasing when people's phones were pinging on certain towers to find them when they couldn't find them by going door to door, I was like, wow, Ghana's doing that. They're actually like going full on to find people to test them to see if they have the virus. And I was like, wow. So we have the capacity to do some of the things that we need to do. And then just seeing how everybody mobilized with the hand washing stations everywhere, because that was a major thing. Washing your hands was major for any illness. Not just that, but any illness. Just seeing how people really mobilized and people really did certain things. And we only had our lockdown for 21 days.

[B]

Well, I think we did fantastic during those times. You say that. Yes, but we ended up paying 1% Covid tax.

[A]

Yes. I'm not. Yeah, that to me is ridiculous. So I'm not talking about the tax. I'm talking about the. The behavior and the mobilization in the beginning showed me that this country does have the capacity to mobilize and do the things we need to do. And that kind of mobilization, in my opinion, could be applied in so many other areas, like mobilizing to fix the roads, mobilizing to, you know, improve some of the school buildings. But that's what I mean. Like the mobilization for the things that can help our country move forward, I think is possible, but it's not always being done. As far as the government in the diaspora, I think that if we can get that Homeland Return act passed, that can also help with the diaspora's transition into the country.

[B]

Awesome. So there's two research papers that I went through while preparing for this interview.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And one of them is by Aron Nate, and the other one is by Mohamed Abdullah eta. Now, these two people were comparing how, you know, people returning back home, what is the major difficulties that they face, and their top was reintegration difficulties. So my question is how, based on your experience, the relationship between the local Ghanaians and the diaspora, how is it.

[A]

How is the relationship between them? I think that it depends on your social circles. I think that. I think that when you are a Ghanaian who is more educated, there's a tendency or more exposed, there's a tendency for you to get along with the diaspora more than those who. Who are not. And what I mean is somebody who's a Ghanaian born and raised, and has been exposed, whether it's through knowledge of books and stuff or through actually traveling out of the country. And traveling out of the country doesn't always mean going to America or something. It could be you went to South Africa or you went to Kenya, it could be you went somewhere else in Africa. That they have a tendency to have more open mindedness and so the conversations can be a little bit more engaging. One of the challenges that local Ghanaians have with some of the diaspora is some people have accused them of becoming the new colonizers or the ones who sometimes mistreat them the same way they would have been mistreated abroad. I've heard some Ghanaians say that. Some of them saying that they talk to them like they're beneath them. Some Ghanaians have said that they talk to them like, you know, especially when they're in positions like house help or drivers or something, that some of the diaspora have not talked in a favorable way to some of them. That's what I've heard some people say. And there are some Ghanaians that feel that things like rent and cost of living have gone up because of the diaspora coming in. You know, one example is a hair salon. So sometimes the hair salon with braiding, you know, braiding was so inexpensive. Now in some places it's gone up a bit. And some people blame, some Ghanaians blame the diaspora because the diaspora will just pay, be like, oh wow, this is so cheap because they're comparing it to what they would pay back home. So now you have these people raising their prices because they realize there are some people who will pay. And then it affects the local person who's like, well, that's their month's salary. They're not going to pay their whole month's salary just to do their hair. So that's one example of some of the Ghanaians saying that they feel like prices have gone up because of the diaspora. Things like rent, land and some of the, you know, some of the simple basics that some of them feel has driven the cost off because of the diaspora. But then the diaspora, it's like once you're living here for a while, when you stay, you're not just on holiday. Then you realize sometimes, wait, this is too much. I shouldn't be paying this much for this. But when you're just on holiday, they just come and they're spending, spending, spending because they're just on holiday. Then they go back to where they came from and they just replenish the money that they spent when they were here. But once you're living here, you realize that it can get quite costly when the prices of things are going up.

[B]

Ivy's Top Move Back Guide Take me through it. I'm moving back. What should I Do? What should I not do?

[A]

You should plan well. So when you plan well, ask yourself, how much money do I need every month to live comfortably? And the way to do that is by actually coming and visiting, because there's a lot of people you know, I'm not going to tell you, don't do it, if that's what you really want to do. But I always say visit the country first. Before making the decision to move, come to Ghana. Spend at least if you can afford to, try to spend three months here if you can afford to. But some people can't afford it. They can only stay for maybe a month. And when you come, don't come in December to try to decide if you want to live here. So when you come, make it that you're making a point to research. How much is it going to cost to get land? How much is it going to cost to get a property? If you want to buy one that's already built, how much is it going to be to rent an apartment? If that's what you want, Figure out which part of the city, if you're staying in Accra, that you would feel comfortable to live. Go and visit these other areas. If you want to be outside of the city, make a plan to where you're going to visit to decide, can I live there? Because if you come blind and you don't know, that's when you're going to really fail and feel like, what did I do? So when you're planning, come visit, figure out how much you want to spend to feel comfortable living here. How do you want to have your kids educated? If you have children, visit the schools and see how much do the schools cost, how much you're going to have to spend for tuition for these kids if you're sending them to private school. Connected Minds Podcast.