A little over a week here and not much of this historic referendum plays out in visible sign posts, placards or billboards that characterises African campaigns. It is more of the battle of ideas- here in London you would be struck by the never-ending conversations especially in the British media whether to remain in the EU or to exit. In coffee shops, on television or the radio two words that you cannot miss are Brexit and Bremain!
Brexit refers to those who want the UK to leave the European Union whiles Bremain stands for those who want to keep the status quo. To illustrate how serious the debate has been, a labour MP and strong campaigner for UK to remain in the EU Joe Cox was shot and stabbed in her constituency.
Long before I arrived, before summer the Brexit debate had been intense. The debate from the onset has centred on immigration, the economy, security, supremacy, and spiced up with acrimony, lies, fear mongering, recrimination, prejudice, sympathy (from Joe Cox’s death). For some British folk all of this talk to leave or stay in the EU is just nonsense! Like a fine gentleman Tony Edwards who I was privileged to have as my chauffeur for a day. Mr Edwards lived in the Cantoments, Asylum Down and Kokomlemle areas as a young boy while his father worked for Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah. His father played a principal role in the construction of the Akosombo dam among others. Mr Edwards believes no facts are being given to the British people, whether by the politicians or experts. I sampled some more views.
A father of five who has worked as a taxi driver for thirty years said to me… “Myself I’m gonna vote to leave, because I think we’re spending too much money, reportedly 350 million pounds a week and the national health service is on its’s need and it could to with some of that 350 million pounds.” But he believes majority of UK nationals will vote to remain though.
“I am definitely voting out. I am fed up with immigration. Everywhere you go there’s foreigners nicking your jobs. They take all the money out of the country and build up properties back in their country.
“I’m not sure but if I was gonna vote now, I’d vote out. You hear all these stuff about how the economy is gonna be ruined but it’s been ruined. The people who are voting remain, they’re trying to scare us to get our votes. I watched the (Great) debate yesterday and I saw Boris Johnson’s statement…and I think that kind of convinced me finally to vote leave really.”
Oh and there was one young man on the fence. “No I’m undecided.”
While Thursday’s referendum may appear quite a democratic process for the people of UK to make their own decision, it could be argued to be an escape by elected officials from accountability by leaving the decision making to the citizens who may not adequately understand the issues.
During a short visit to Telford city to see a Cousin, I met the Owiredus and their lovely daughters Marvela, Nasia and Gabby and some friends of theirs who passed by. Over a big asanka of fufu and chicken soup we chatted about Ghana; the skyrocketing electricity bills, president Mahama’s alleged bribe and of course the EU referendum. What was the position of Ghanaians there? Immigration has largely been used to justify the leave campaign which is criticized by the Bremain as xenophobic, you would expect most Ghanaians to favour the remain camp.
To my surprise they favoured an exit from the EU. Their reason, immigration! Their position was brilliantly presented by Uncle Douggie, a friend of the family. For him the Tories (brexit campaigners), are anti-immigration, and have made the life of migrants tougher through unfavourable policies. So it would seem the pro-immigration Labour remainers would be good company for the Ghanaians in the UK. They believe an exit from the EU would free up jobs as EU nationals are prioritized over them irrespective of their qualification.
I met family, friends, and acquaintances and made some new ones too. Oh and I had some fufu and delicious ground nut soup in London of all places by kind courtesy of the Owiredu’s a warm and generous people.
Africans constitute a reasonable share of migrants in the UK with tens of thousands of them being Ghanaians. Immigration has been a powerful and dramatic tool in the debate as the exit campaign describes it as uncontrollable and a crisis. The remain side on the other hand accuses them of xenophobia. So it would seem that the “remainers” are more outward and tolerant or inclusive of immigrants.
But isn’t it all political talk?
Are both sides being honest?
Do the anti-leavers really want the migrants?
Clearly the TUC’s position to stay is not at all representative of the working class but that position doesn’t appear representative of Ghanaian migrants some of whom are half British and have British children and grandchildren. Many of them say they will on Thursday vote exit because the EU nationals’ free movement among others puts a strain on the few jobs available. According to them the 90,000 plus Ghanaians have been relegated to the back irrespective of qualification for jobs.
Francisca Kakra Forson is an independent journalist who reports for Voice of America and West Africa Democracy Radio.
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