Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, Professor Ransford Gyampo, is disgusted by how some Ghanaians who have sought greener pastures abroad have taken satisfaction in engaging in menial jobs overseas.
This comes after Kofi Gabs, a well-known Ghanaian social media personality residing in the Netherlands, who makes ends meet by cleaning toilets sparked a significant controversy with his comments made a fortnight ago on the value of educational achievements in Ghana.
In a video that has since gone viral, Gabs argued that his Dutch passport holds more practical value than a PhD from Ghana.
Contributing to discussions on TV3’s The Key Points, he noted that it is a shame some Ghanaians value a foreign country’s passport over the acquisition of higher education.
In his view point, such perception is a reflection of a failed state and noted how the current state of the country in no way reflects the dreams Ghana’s first president Dr Kwame Nkrumah had for this country when he fought for its independence.
“PhD or Dutch passport? It’s symptomatic of a failed state. The nation builders, who are supposed to be helping to build the nation are choosing the passports of another country and they are priding themselves in cleaning toilets over PhD. We should bow down our heads in shame. This is not the Ghana Kwame Nkrumah envisaged. This is not the spirit Kwame Nkrumah wanted to develop in Ghanaians that we will be so patriotic and hold our passport with a certain pride,” he said.
Gabs shared his personal experience of applying for a visa to visit a friend in the United States via the ESTA app, emphasising the ease with which he received approval thanks to his Dutch citizenship.
He highlighted the swift and uncomplicated process, suggesting that it was significantly smoother than what he would have faced with a Ghanaian passport. Gabs went further, asserting that the tangible benefits of holding a Dutch passport outweigh the prestige of obtaining a PhD in Ghana.
The reaction from the Ghanaian community has been mixed but predominantly critical. Many Ghanaians took to the comments section of the post to defend the value of advanced degrees from their home country.
@stefanosports1 PhD v Dutch Passport Debate: The Nation builders now pride themselves in Cleaning toilets in foreign countries.This is a failed country – Prof Ransford Gyampo, Lec University Of Ghana#tiktokghana🇬🇭fyp #viral #UG #universityofghanalegon #tiktokghana🇬🇭fyp #ProfGyampo #universityofghana #ransfordgyampo #virral #mrhappiness #KofiGabs #tiktokghana🇬🇭fyp #videooftheday #fnypシ #viral #puresports #purefm #BKB #kankamboadu #KankamBoadu #oliverkhan #Olivekhan #Shipdealer #shipdealer #shipdealer😂 #shipdealer😂😂😂 #shipdealer😂😂😂 #virall #viral #givememorelikesthanviews🥹 #sport #Trendme #trendeng fynny #fnypシ #Winneba #GHS #ghanahealthservice #ghanahealthservice #tiktokghana🇬🇭fyp #tiktokghana🇬🇭fyp #tiktok #virral #viralvideo #virall #viral #Viral #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #Kumasi #fyn # #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #Viral #tiktokghana🇬🇭fyp #trending #❤️✍️👈️ ♬ original sound – Alfredo di Stefano Diaz