Interesting statistics about Ghanaian diaspora in Finland

Recently, I came across some interesting statistics about the Ghanaian diaspora in Finland.

It is interesting how this can be considered in ways to contribute to improving the lives of the migrants and their positive integration.

As I keep pointing out, Finland encourages mi­grants’ participation in the planning of issues con­cerning the migrants themselves as one of the effi ­cient ways to enhance their inclusion.

There are many positive things that are happening within the Ghanaian immigrant community in Fin­land.

Great efforts are being made by certain groups or associations as well as individuals in the Ghanaian community in Finland.

Ghanaian migrants in Finland

The Ghanaian migrant population in Finland has in­creased quite significantly from the 1990s when there were less than 400 of them.

There are currently over 2,000 people with Ghana ­ian background, according to estimates from Statis­tics Finland.

According to Statistics Finland, at the end of 2020 there were over 57,000 people of African background living in Finland, of which 47,000 are from Sub-Saha ­ran Africa.

Ghanaian migrants number 2,479 and are the sixth largest group behind leaders Somalia, Nigeria, DR Congo, Morocco, and Ethiopia in that descending order.

The Ghanaian diaspora in Finland has been growing fast. Its main representative organisation, the Ghana Union Finland, and other organisations have been engaging in efforts to help in integration. They also organise other social activities to promote the Gha­naian values and cultural heritage.

Ghanaian local languages

The Statistics Finland lists more than 35 languages of African origin with Twi, Akan, and Ewe included in the list. According to current figures, there are 670 Twi speakers, Akan speakers (487), and Ewe speakers (118).

These figures brought to my mind the efforts Ghanaian migrants here make to teach the Twi/Akan language to their kids born here in Finland, as a way of keeping them close to their origins.

 As I have said previously, Finnish agencies and other institutions encourage integration for migrants. Such institutions are also ready to support migrant groups to teach their kids, especially those born in Finland about the language and other traditions of their countries of origin.

Some years back, there were efforts by some peo­ple within the Ghanaian community to start classes for kids to learn at least one Ghanaian language such as Akan/Twi. Unfortunately, according to informa­tion that project could not be sustained because the number of the kids was not high enough.

Educating the kids in the local languages of Ghana still remains strong on the minds of many people in the Ghanaian community. Fact is, many people seem to worry that some Diaspora women who even had little basic education try to speak in English to their kids.

The children born in Finland speak the Finnish language fluently. But many people worry that many such kids are unable to respond well to Twi, Ga, Ewe, etc., although they may understand it. Thus, the fear of some parents and the older generation is that the children may completely lose their roots.

Integration through language

It has been identified that one of the ways to integrate migrants into the host society. In Finland, learning the Finnish language and speaking it helps migrants with integrating into the host society.

At the same time, it is believed that when migrants are able to speak their native language in their coun­try of settlement, it helps them increase their social interaction with others and thus build their social capital.

As I keep pointing out, many have acquired huge expertise and resources (academically, economical­ly, technically, technologically, etc.) and try to give something back to society through imparting that to others or supporting them in other means.

Building close relationships with their fellow mi­grants is very important to the Ghanaian migrants as this also aids their integration into the host society. Thank you!

The writer is a lecturer at the University

of Helsinki, Finland