Ghanaian Australian

Ghanaian Australians are Australian citizens and residents of Ghanaian origin and descent. More than 50% of all Ghanaian-born live in Sydney, New South Wales.^[2]

Background

The Special Commonwealth African Assistance Plan allowed students from West African countries, including from Ghana, to come to Australia the mid-1960s. More than 70 per cent of these students remained in Australia following military coups in their countries. While small in number, the Ghana-born steadily increased from the mid-1970s following the easing of immigration restrictions.^[3] The majority of Ghanaian Australians are skilled and educated, with 70.6% of the Ghana-born aged 15 years and over possessing higher non-school qualifications, compared to 55.9% of the Australian population.^[4]

Population

The 2011 Census noted there are 3,866 Ghana-born people in Australia.^[5] Akan, Ewe and Ga all have many speakers in Australia. Akan has over 2,100 speakers and Ewe has over 400 speakers.^[6] Some of the over 10,700 Australian-born who speak an African language may also speak a Ghanaian language.^[7]

It was noted in 2014 that the Ghanaian student population in Australia (like the Nigerian one) was growing fast to the extent that Australian universities were keen to attract more students from Ghana.^[8]

African restaurants serving up Ghanaian specialties, can be found in Sydney.^[9][10]

Notable Ghanaian Australians

• Jonas Addai-Mensah - Research professor and chemical engineer
• Faustina Agolley - TV presenter and host
• Kwabena Appiah-Kubi - Soccer player for Western Sydney Wanderers
• Selasi Berdie - Professional rugby league footballer for the Gold Coast Titans
• Sam Blay - professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Technology, Sydney. Former Dean of Law at the University of Tasmania.
• Kofi Danning - Soccer player who has played for Australia internationally
• Dorinda Hafner - Celebrity chef, community activist and TV personality
• Nuala Hafner - News reader and TV personality
• Miracle - Rapper
• Kwame Yeboah - Soccer player
• Thomas Brefo - Professional Accountant, Senior Financial Accountant at State Government Authority and Company director,Tax Agent
• Matt Okine- Triple J Host, Actor and Comedian and the Project regular is of Ghanaian decent.

References

Ghanaian diaspora Australia Canada France Italy Jamaica Surinam United Kingdom United States

African Australians Ethnic groups in Africa African culture East Kenyan Mauritian South Sudanese Ugandan Horn Ethiopian Somali North Coptic Egyptian Sudanese Tunisian Southern South African Zimbabwean West Ghanaian Nigerian