Kofi Nti, a Ghanaian based in Brampton, shared his migration journey on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide show with DJ Nyaami.
Kofi revealed that he and his wife moved to the UK in 2023 through a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS). Before relocating, he lived at Santasi and Amakom in Kumasi. He attended Jumas Anglican, Kumasi Polytechnic, and Christian Service University.
His first job opportunity came through a friend who had gone job-hunting and was asked to bring along a trusted person. Kofi was chosen as an assistant manager while his friend became the manager. They later got promoted and were transferred to the Sunyani branch, where they worked for eight years in the production of votive cool packs.
After completing school in 2015, Kofi married in 2017 at the age of 27. His father, a government worker, had passed away, and though he was promised opportunities—even by an Energy Minister—none of them materialized. Inspired by his father, he studied procurement, hoping to build an office career.
Kofi disclosed that after his father’s funeral, he inherited between GHC 100,000 and GHC 200,000. At just 25 years old, he bought land but admitted he mismanaged the funds instead of investing wisely. “I married my wife because she was supportive. She was a nurse at Komfo Anokye while I worked in Sunyani. We both had our own cars, and life was good,” he said.
When his friend planned to travel abroad through COS, Kofi and his wife also considered it. They were charged £12,000 for the process. To raise the money, Kofi sold his wife’s car for GHC 77,000, sold part of their housing project worth GHC 250,000 (but received only GHC 120,000), and got an additional GHC 100,000 from his in-laws. With this, they finally made it to the UK.
On arrival, they were hosted for two months before renting their own place. Within three weeks, Kofi secured five jobs, juggling multiple roles until he became exhausted. He later found stable lab work, producing lenses for cataract patients.
Reflecting on his journey, he said: “If I had sold my house just to travel, it would have been the biggest mistake of my life.”
Life in the UK hasn’t been easy, especially with his wife working during the day while he works at night, leaving them little time together. They left their children in Ghana and miss them dearly, planning to bring them over temporarily during festive seasons before sending them back.
Kofi added that many Ghanaians abroad struggle to return home because of debts. “Most people would go back if they were assured of earning even GHC 10,000 a month in Ghana,” he concluded.
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