Ghana's US Ambassador Urges Diaspora Youth to Return Home With Investors as Many Live in Fear of Deportation

Ghana's Ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, has painted a sobering picture of the conditions facing many young Ghanaians living in America, revealing that a significant number are unemployed and gripped by fear of deportation by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Speaking in a one-on-one interview on JoyNews, Ambassador Smith urged affected Ghanaians to consider returning home — but not empty-handed.

45,000 Ghanaians in Worcester, Yet Many Are Not Working

Ambassador Smith singled out Worcester, Massachusetts, as a striking example of the struggles within the Ghanaian diaspora community in the United States. He estimates that approximately 45,000 Ghanaians reside in Worcester alone — a remarkable concentration — yet many of them are not in employment.

"I went to Worcester in Massachusetts and there are about 45,000 Ghanaians in Worcester alone. And ask me whether they are working. No. They're not. And they are even afraid of their shadows that ICE will pick them. So, they are spending most of their time in their churches," he said.

The Ambassador's comments reflect a broader reality that has intensified under heightened immigration enforcement in the United States, where undocumented migrants and those with uncertain immigration status have faced increased anxiety about their daily movements and long-term futures.

What This Means for Ghana's Diaspora and Development

Ambassador Smith's remarks carry weight beyond their immediate emotional resonance. They touch on a central tension in Ghana's development story — the persistent outward migration of young, often skilled or ambitious people seeking better economic prospects abroad, only to find themselves in precarious situations far from home.

Rather than simply sympathising, the Ambassador offered a practical call to action: return home, but do so strategically by partnering with investors to establish businesses and create employment. He stressed that such arrangements could generate opportunities for other young Ghanaians and help chip away at the conditions that drive migration in the first place.

"These are not easy things. And I am preaching to them that listen, I'm here to do this. When opportunity strikes, go back home by all means. Go with an investor and try to pick up the pieces. It is possible," he said.

His message aligns with the broader position of Ghana's government, which has been actively encouraging members of the diaspora to invest in the country's development rather than remaining in difficult circumstances abroad.

Investment Push Across Key Sectors

Ambassador Smith has been holding discussions with Ghanaian community members and prospective investors in the United States, focusing on sectors that Ghana has long identified as pillars of economic growth — mining, energy, agriculture and manufacturing. These are areas where diaspora capital and foreign investment could create meaningful employment at scale.

The Ambassador framed job creation not merely as an economic goal but as a migration management strategy. "We create jobs and opportunities for the young people so that our young people, at least, the migration will be minimised," he said.

This perspective acknowledges what many policy analysts have long argued: that sustainable reduction in irregular migration requires addressing its root causes at home, not simply tightening borders or urging people to return without offering viable alternatives.

• Brain drain and irregular migration remain persistent challenges for Ghana, with many young people risking uncertain journeys abroad in search of economic opportunity.
• The Ghanaian diaspora is a significant source of remittances, but unlocking deeper investment from that community requires trust, opportunity and a conducive business environment back home.
• ICE enforcement actions in the United States have heightened fear among undocumented communities globally, and Ghanaians are not immune to this trend.

Ambassador Smith's candid comments serve as a reminder that the dream of a better life abroad does not always match the reality — and that building a better Ghana at home may ultimately be the more sustainable path.