Without Nkrataa, Life in Germany is a Daily Struggle” – Akwesi Shares His Experience
Akwesi, a Ghanaian living in Germany, shared his life experiences abroad in an interview with DJ Nyaami on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide show. Two years ago, when he considered returning to Ghana, friends encouraged him to stay. However, he now feels that not much has changed, and survival without proper documents (Nkrataa) remains a huge challenge.
According to Akwesi, there are plenty of jobs in Germany, but securing one is nearly impossible without documents. Out of desperation, he once tried to invest in getting his papers through an agent, but he was duped of €5,000. “I wanted to gather money, do my papers, and then return to Ghana. Instead, I got scammed. Now I’m trying to recover my money, but I’ll still return to Ghana soon,” he said.
He recalled the frustrations of living with other people abroad. At one point, he stayed with his sister for six months, but constant quarrels and restrictions made life uncomfortable. In another instance, a man was evicted for simply requesting a rent reduction. “Here, you even pay extra bills on top of rent. Some people don’t flush toilets until they are full just to save costs. Abroad life is not what people imagine,” Akwesi revealed.
Comparing his past in Ghana, Akwesi admitted that working back home—even as a house help for celebrities like Sarkodie—was far better than his current struggles in Germany. “In Ghana, I could give my siblings 1,000 cedis. Here, I can’t even do that. Abroad looks nice in pictures, but the reality is tough,” he added.
Akwesi also warned about the document (Nkrataa) struggle that is destroying lives. He explained that many Africans, especially Ghanaians, fall victim to fraudsters while trying to secure legal stay. “Nigerians don’t dupe their own people, but they trick other Africans. I was duped, and many others are going through the same pain,” he said.
His advice to those planning to travel is simple: “Focus on getting your papers first. Without Nkrataa, forget everything else. Don’t be deceived by the flashy lifestyle you see on social media. Abroad is not as easy as it looks.”
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