Features
The increasing entrepreneurship among the Ghanaian diaspora in Finland
It seems more Ghanaian migrants in Finland are going into entrepreneurship or self-employment, and today I focus on the increasing economic activities of some people in the Ghanaian migrant community.
This is important because it shows the positive side of some Ghanaian individual migrants or groups (or their companies) who are accomplishing or trying to accomplish much for their wellbeing in Finland.
Some time ago, I wrote on the same topic, and today, I continue on that tangent but with a closer look on the expanding entrepreneurial endeavours among Ghanaian migrants in Finland. In this write up, I concentrate on the rise of business ventures that Ghanaian migrants in Finland usually engage in as part of their economic activities in Finland.
Such ventures include hair salons or barbering shops, grocery shops or shop keeping generally, etc. which are operated in some Finnish cities, especially in the Helsinki capital area (such as Espoo, Helsinki, and Vantaa).
Existing research studies show that migrants may start their own companies based on their entrepreneurial aspirations and/or necessity as it may be difficult for them to find suitable jobs matching their education. Other studies point out that migrant entrepreneurs also create their own jobs and tend to employ other migrants if the business is successful, thus helping to reduce the unemployment burden in the host country. Whatever the case, I think both scenarios go well with Ghanaian migrants in Finland.
Hair salons and barbering shops
I previously wrote that barbering shops and salons are becoming increasingly popular and are patronised by other Ghanaian or African migrants in Finland, especially women. Recent new barbering shops and hairdressing salons opened by Ghanaian and other African migrants to add to the number of existing ones attests to this point. Other Ghanaian/African migrant entrepreneurs are into African clothing shops or dress-making/fashion industry. The artefacts or clothing shops usually sell fabrics brought from Ghana and other parts of Africa.
Aside this, some Ghanaians have established cleaning companies or a business in housing apartment rentals.
Shop keeping and African foodstuffs
Ghanaian migrants/entrepreneurs living in Finland are involved in shop keeping (or buying and selling) ventures.
There are also African restaurants that serve African dishes. The cooking and serving of “Ghanaian food” is encouraged at events organised by Ghanaian groups and individuals. It is therefore not surprising that the dishes sold in restaurants are highly patronised too.
The selling of Ghanaian or African food and artefacts has been common among the Ghanaian migrants in Finland. One can easily buy Ghanaian foodstuffs such as yams, garri, and others imported from Ghana and other African countries. I think this could make things easier should anyone set up a Ghanaian/African restaurant.
The IT sector/Online business
The information technology (IT) sector is another area that is gaining interest among the Ghanaian migrant entrepreneurs. Many potential entrepreneurs are considering going into the IT start-ups and entrepreneurship.
I do not have much information about what the situation is but I would not be surprised to hear one day that some of them have actually taken off and are doing well. It could also be that some businesses are mostly going to operate online.
As I mentioned some time ago, many Ghanaian migrants in Finland have acquired more expertise and resources (academically, economically, technically, technologically, etc.), and the IT sector looks to be very promising for venturing into entrepreneurship.
Other African migrants may currently be operating or have previously owned media (including videography) or newspaper/magazine outlets, particularly in the capital city of Helsinki.
Opportunities for integration
These days the question whether the business opportunities is a positive sign of integration of Ghanaian migrants in Finland keeps coming to my mind.
Could it also offer opportunities for them to team up with Finnish companies for business and investment opportunities either in Ghana or in Finland? Maybe!
As I keep pointing out, Finland encourages migrants’ participation in the planning of issues concerning the migrants themselves as one of the efficient ways to improve their inclusion in the Finnish society.
There is an enabling environment created within the Finnish business and entrepreneurship sector for people who are business-minded, including migrants. Thank you!
perpetual.crentsil@yahoo. com
By Perpetual Crentsil
THE typical itinerant salesman in Sikaman is a herbalist. He is normally a slim macho with the capacity to perambulate the expanse of area covering the triangle of Accra-Tema-Ashiaman. In short, he can walk a total of 60 miles a day, marketing a product that cures every disease, including poverty. 
The door-to-door herbal pharmacist advertises his product by word of mouth. He has nothing to do with the Food and Drugs Board (FDB). After all, his concoctions do not feature on FM stations.
Those herbalists who cannot walk to propagate the herbal gospel, liaise with drivers of mass transportation and their mates. They are, therefore, given the chance to sell their products on Benz buses that ply the routes.
Normally, the herbalist starts his sales message with a prayer and Bible study. He asks the passengers to bow down their heads in supplication to God the father, the son, the Holy Spirit.
When a herbalist asks the passengers to close their eyes and bow their heads, Moslems on board naturally feel offended. They feel that the herbalist has no right to assume that every passenger is a Christian. They think such an assumption is an affront to Islam.
So a Moslem on board will raise the hand for a point of order. He’ll remind the herbalist that it would be in his own interest to mind his language.
“Be careful the way you address people in a public place. Not every person here is a Christian,” he’d state assertively.
Of course, the herbalist will promptly ignore him, but would all the same “watch” his tongue. Who knows whether or not the Moslem brother is inspired by Quoranic zeal to defend the tenets of Islam to the hilt?
When he starts saying, “Wallahi!” and “Inshallah!” it could be the beginning of proclaiming Islam as supreme, a point which must be driven home with talibanic precision.
So the herbalist must tread carefully lest he steps on fire.
The herbalist could even add a measure of mirth to it all, by announcing that Christians on board today have very interesting company on the journey, but that should not detract from the business of the day.
The Moslem brother will weigh the words carefully and offer a wry smile.
He must be careful the occasion does not degenerate into the use of semantics and proverbial oration to deride his conviction that public utterances must be mindful of religious sensibilities. He has made his point very clear and expects that it is taken in good faith in the interest of a peaceful journey.
The herbalist will now open the New Testament and preach salvation, stating clearly that salvation can come only through Jesus Christ and NOBODY else.
The Moslem brother will now start twitching his moustache. The visible and almost revolutionary reflexes of his upper lip can be an indication that sentiments have begun superseding reason, and the outcome could well be tragic now shift uneasily in his seat.
The time has come for him to also express his right to the religion of his fore-bears. He’ll put his hand into his pocket and rise to his feet. The time has indeed come!
This article was first published on Saturday, September 9, 2006
When the cause of a particular problem like sickness, disease, sudden illness, a social issue etc. are not known, it stands to reason that resolving it becomes a huge challenge.
Citizens would understand the government when public announcements are made to the effect that government is trying to find a solution to the issue, even though it is taking a while for it to be resolved because citizens are rational beings.
On the other hand, if the solution to a particular issue is known to everybody but the government for whatever reason, is dragging its feet in resolving it, citizens become frustrated and begin to lose trust in their leaders.
One such issue is the heavy traffic along a section of the Kasoa – Odokor road. A short stretch of bad road between the traffic light at the Weija Government Hospital and the entrance to the entrance of the overhead that leads to the N1, is the cause of the problem but nothing is being done about it, day after day, week after week, month after month. Thus is clearly unacceptable.
Another issue that requires urgent attention is the lack of pavements along a lot of streets in parts of the various Municipal Assemblies. Exercise is a prerequisite for long life and healthy living and for those of us who it has become a way of life, this issue of people putting up structures right to the edge of the drains beside the roads, are making life difficult for us.
We are compelled to walk along the roads, putting our lives at serious risk. Pedestrians should never be compelled to compete with vehicles on our streets and roads. Roads and streets are made for vehicles and pavements are made for pedestrians. That is the norm. Any attempt to normalise a situation where pedestrians are mingling with vehicles is insanity.
It is the road regulations that makes it so and therefore district or municipal assemblies are to take responsibility and ensure that spaces for pavements are not encroached upon. Citizens have rights that must be protected by their leaders and making pavements available to pedestrians, is one of them.
When we hear of teachers having sex with students, it appears it is something recent. It is not a new phenomenon. It has been there since Adam. Perhaps this issue is getting much attention due to the proliferation of social media. It was an open secret in times past when Teachers were in relationships with female students and some married them immediately after completion of school.
Some teachers were also known to be having unholy interactions with female pupils but due to the times that these acts occurred, human rights issues and the awareness around it, allowed such unscrupulous teachers to get away with their crimes.
Now we are in a different era and so a Headmaster is now in hot waters. He is alleged to have raped about 19 female students and as usual, some officials tried to cover it up and are also in hot waters and their actions or inactions in the matter are under investigation.
Why the man has been allowed to roam freely without being arrested is simply mind boggling. It appears that the law applies differently, depending on who you are. This issue came to public attention sometime in August this year, yet the police had not arrested or invited this man for question regarding the rape allegation.
It has come out that he is a Constituency Secretary of the ruling party and the question in the public domain is that, is it because he is a political figure that is why he is still walking around without questioning? I believe in the rule of law so let us hold our breadth and let the proper thing be done.
The police must however be seen to be active in this matter. God bless.
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