From Mines in Ghana to a New Start in Canada: Daniel’s Journey
Daniel, a Ghanaian hydraulic technician, began his career at the Tarkwa mines in 2008 right after school. In addition to mining, he once ventured into bole hole and poultry farming. However, due to the high financial demands of poultry, he had to shut that business down. Fortunately, his mining job paid well. At one point, some Indian colleagues gave him a bole hole drilling machine, which now costs about $200,000. According to Daniel, purchasing such a machine is a solid investment — you can recover your money within two years by renting it out.
He entrusted his brother with the bole hole business while he focused on his mining job. Life was stable for him in Ghana, but the country’s uncertain economic policies and lack of future prospects for his children made him reconsider. One turning point was seeing a qualified doctor struggle to get posted. That made him fearful about his own children’s future.
Although his father had worked in the mines and built a life in Ghana, he had grown old, and now Daniel and his siblings were taking care of him. That reality pushed Daniel to migrate. He resigned from his job and moved to Canada — alone, with no family there. His wife and children remain in Ghana for now but will join him soon.
When Daniel arrived in Canada, he connected with fellow Ghanaians through WhatsApp groups. One group member hosted him for two days until he moved into his own rented apartment. He initially stayed in Toronto but found it too congested, so he relocated to Hamilton. Through employment agencies, he quickly found work.
Daniel describes his transition as smooth: “Those who say there are no jobs in Canada are just lazy.” He worked tirelessly, moving from one job to another — including shifts from Hilton to Maryton — while getting very little sleep. Eventually, he rented his own place in Hamilton and secured a stable job.
Thanks to the skills he learned in mining, Daniel pursued a forklift license when jobs in his field weren’t immediately available. That decision paid off — he’s now a full-time forklift operator. But for him, this is only a stepping stone. He aspires to do more, including short courses in areas like health care, construction, or business to improve his prospects.
An elderly Ghanaian man he met at a bank has become a mentor to him in Canada. This man, though still working abroad, managed to build a house back in Ghana. His advice to Daniel was simple: a one-year or six-month course in the right field can drastically improve your income and stability in Canada.
Daniel also shares insights for newcomers: “Fight to get your permanent residency (nkrataa). If necessary, even do a contract marriage, because school alone won’t guarantee it. Once you have your papers and a license, driving Uber can earn you more than most factory jobs.”
Reflecting on his journey, Daniel admits that he earned more money back in Ghana, but he has no regrets. “This is about the future,” he says. He once bought five acres of land to restart his poultry farm and even imported foreign birds in 2020. Unfortunately, COVID-19 hit, feed prices surged, and the business collapsed after raising 1,000 birds.
Now, he focuses on building a future that won’t burden his children. “If I get a pension of $2,000 a month in the future, I can retire in Ghana without depending on my kids. And when my children move abroad, they won’t depend on me either,” Daniel says. “Even people with drug problems receive monthly stipends here — there’s opportunity if you plan well.”
Watch The Video Below:
About The Author
