Reasons
From The Peopling of New York City
Interview with a Ghanaian Community Leader
If there is one thing I learned about the people of Ghana, its that they are very friendly open people. Upon interviewing Mr. Sam Owusu –Sekyere, a leader of the Ghanaian community on Staten Island, he immediately opened up to us and was very happy to answer any of our questions.
Q: What kind of work do you do as the community leader of Ghana?
A: I wouldn’t exactly call myself the community leader. I work at the Newark Airport Port Authority. My connection to the community is that I involved with the Mosaic Coalition. It’s a program that Wagner College has that hosts many ethnic groups and cultural events
Q: What are the current problems facing people living in Ghana today?
A: Today Ghana faces many political problems, yet Ghana is the most peaceful [country] on the African continent. Many countries in Africa often send their refugees to Ghana. Ghana is in charge of peacekeeping within the area.
Q: What are some of the reasons you immigrated here?
A: It’s a funny feeling that everyone has. No matter where you live in the world, you want to come to the United States. However, everyone also dreams of going to Ghana and tracing their roots.
Q: How easy is it to acquire a visa and come to the United States?
A: It is not easy at all to get a visa. You need to make an appointment online with the American embassy. If you miss your appointment you need to wait another 4 weeks for another appointment. The airfare will cost you about $2,000 during the busy season. The price goes down to about $1,200 in the slow season. The United States government has a lottery that they pick 5,000 immigrants to come to the states each year. I was lucky enough to win the lottery.
Q: How much of the African community in Staten Island is Ghanaian?
A: In Staten Island, Liberians are the majority. However there about 1,000 Ghanaians living in Staten Island. We have community monthly meetings at a church in Stapleton. It is used as a community center not for religious reasons. We have potluck dinners, where we sit around, drink and have a good time. We also plan trips and help resolve any problems the people may have.
Q: Once they arrive in the United States, where do Ghanaians tend to settle?
A: It depends on who you come here to live with. My sister bought a house on the island and I went straight to her house to live with her. However, Ghanaians are well spread around the United States. They even live in Canada and Alaska.
Q: How educated and skilled are Ghanaians when they arrive in the United States?
A: In Ghana there is free education until the college level. People there are very educated and children are required to go to school. Ghana is the most westernized of the west African nations. I came with 4 children. The eldest has been in the U.S army for five years and all of my children have had a good education. Every two years either myself or my wife goes back to Ghana to visit.
Q: How well do Ghanian immigrants interact with other African Immigrants in Staten Island?
A: Ghanaians are very conscious. They don’t want to be involved with politics. They are more concerned with family and their kids than get involved with politics. They are very into themselves.
Q: What are the needs of the Ghanaian community? How do they meet these needs?
A: Ghanaians work hard in order to send money back home. I have many aunts, uncles and cousins back in Ghana. I work hard to send them money to help support them and maybe they can eventually come here.
Q: What is the importance of the church for Ghanaians? How does it serve them?
A: The two churches that I go to are on Richmond Avenue and there is also one in the St. George Theater. Most Ghanaians prefer to go to African churches because they are more active and fun. There is a lot of dancing and singing. West Africans of all different nations come to the same churches to meet and pray. We are very religious and love to pray. Sometimes people over exaggerate when they think African and picture witch hunt fairs and bon fires.
Q: Besides the church, what are other places where Ghanaian immigrants gather as a community?
A: Last year the Ghana consulate in Manhattan planned a visit to the island for anybody who wanted to know about Ghana, trips to Ghana, or get visas. We also meet at funerals everywhere. Ghanaian community is very into each other and their grievances, new born kids. They send invitations and have monthly meetings. There is a sense of a very close knit community once they arrive in U.S. They have a monthly newsletter in Connecticut. The Governor of Connecticut raised Ghanaian flag for a week to show the prominence of the Ghanaians.
Q: How do Ghanaians find out about these meetings?
A: Word of mouth. I can always tell when someone is from Ghana. When I am on the ferry and after speaking a few words with someone I can immediately tell that they are from Ghana. I try to help them if they need anything.
Q: What are some other things about Ghana?
A: The Ashanti is the biggest tribe. Ghana was called The Gold Coast because it has most gold in Africa. We are very into track and soccer and also have several boxing champions. We devote a lot of money into athletics. When you come here if you have opportunity to become successful. The economic situation in Ghana is good. 99% of Ghanaians would love to go back because the country is so beautiful.
Q: What are the relations like between Ghanaians and other African Americans?
A: 60 % of population is African Americans, some are a bit snobbish but some are curious about African life. The church has Caucasians and Latinos. There are actually more whites than African-Americans. They get along with people. It really just depends on the person themselves on whether they are friendly or not.