Nana Amponsah’s Journey from Ghana to the UK: Lessons in Life, Love, and Resilience
Nana Amponsah, a Ghanaian based in Birmingham, UK, shared his life story on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide show with DJ Nyaami. He moved to the UK in 1994 from Bompata, Ghana, after his aunt — who was already in the UK — saw him walking around the Independence Avenue Park area and decided to help him travel.
In Ghana, Nana struggled academically, failing his ‘O’ Level exams multiple times. He eventually secured a UK visit visa, later transferring to a two-year Commonwealth work visa after paying someone to help with the process. He began with cleaning jobs and later secured a work permit.
During his early years in the UK, he met a woman who helped him acquire the necessary residency documents. Within a year, he returned to Ghana to marry a teacher he had been introduced to, although he admitted he wasn’t prepared for marriage at the time. While in the UK, he studied, worked as a security officer, and supported his wife, who was pursuing nursing at university. They had two children, but life became difficult after he lost his job and faced setbacks.
After his cousin passed away, Nana returned to Ghana, enrolling at Cape Coast Polytechnic, then simultaneously studying at Cape Coast University and Presbyterian University. Following a divorce from his first wife, he returned to the UK, later reconciling with her and having two more children. However, the relationship remained rocky.
In the UK, Nana faced more career instability, losing jobs after short periods. His wife brought her sister from Ghana to help with the children, but tensions arose, leading to the sister’s eviction. This sparked further family disputes, curses from in-laws, and ultimately another divorce.
Nana then married his Ghanaian girlfriend in secret, despite his family’s disapproval, and they had two children. He secured a five-year visa for her to visit London occasionally. However, he soon regretted the marriage after entrusting her with GHC 200,000 for a construction project in Ghana, only for her to mishandle the money. A mason made off with the funds, and she stopped answering his calls for months. Eventually, he handed the project to his cousin, who also misused funds.
Frustrated by betrayal, Nana ended the marriage but continues to support his children. Reflecting on his journey, he advises against bringing a wife from Ghana to the UK unless one is certain of the person’s character.
According to Nana, one of the biggest lessons abroad is the need to acquire practical skills to survive. Today, he works as a university lecturer while also driving trucks.
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