Discrimination under English law (Section 1 (1) of the Equality Act 2010) and probably same under Ghana Law is when a person is treated less favourably than another is/would be treated because of a protected characteristics (race, sex, origin, marriage/civil partnership, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age or disability). So in simple terms, if any person (A) is treated less favourably than another (B) because of A’s protected characteristic, then that is a STRAIGHT up discrimination…
It is sicken to be discriminated against in a foreign land as a Ghanaian, but it is absolutely disheartening to be treated less favourably in your GODDAM country. This is not the first time I have heard or read about Ghanaians being treated this way in their our country. I do not suggest that, people should be treated more favourable by virtue of the fact that they are in their country, I am only saying, we all expect to be treated good/same with foreigners in our own country.
What happened below is a deep rooted problem in Ghana. I remember when I was in Adisadel College (around 2002), I visited home and was rushing back to Cape Coast (campus). I got to the then STC yard at Circle and when I tried to purchase a ticket, the saleswoman (Ghanaian) told me the bus was full and as such, I have to wait for the next bus which will take off in about 4 hours time. Behind me in the queue was some white guy and his white girlfriend/wife (Did I say white? They probably were from Albania or so). The could barely speak English and managed to ask how much the ticket price for Cape Coast was.
To my surprise, when they decided to make a purchase, the saleswoman was able to magically produce 2 tickets for them. I got upset like HELL since I had no permission to be off campus and I was bent on rushing there quick. I approached her and she said, it was finished but the 2 she just gave out were reserved for emergency. So the colour of your skin is an EMERGENCY in Ghana huh?
That is almost about 10 years ago. I could not bring myself to take what I just read today. 10 years on, this is still being championed in Ghana. Foreigners are operating a restaurant in Ghana and they have the guts to openly discriminate against Ghanaians by saying, only white people are allowed to join their restaurants club membership. WTF! Who can I punch in Ghana for this?
We need all GC readers to COMMENT this…What do you think? Have you heard or suffered this sort of treatment anywhere? What must be done? Please, help end this in Ghana by commenting! I need you all to comment…I will not post anything again today until enough of you have commented because this is not RIGHT! We must begin to demand fair and equal treatment.
Even if you have not commented on GC before or do not comment (READ ONLY PERSON), this is a sensitive issue so please do it for today. After commenting, if you have facebook, like the post and get the message across! If it happened to a Ghanaian like you, it can happen to you too. a family or friend! Thanks
Read below for more…..
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Unbelievable right? Well believe, because it exists, and ONLY white people are registered members. This happens because some foreigners who live in Ghana think Ghanaians are inferior to them. The abuse continues, here is a verbatim account of what happened to a Ghanaian lady.
“I wish to bring to light an incident that occurred in a restaurant that I visited recently that has left me dumbfounded and completely infuriated that this could happen in our country..
Atlantic Lobster and Dolphin Ltd is a shop down Papaye road in Osu which deals in seafood. They recently opened an open air restaurant above their shop serving seafood.
They have recently converted the restaurant into a “degustation club” for lovers of seafood. There is a GHc20 registration fee and you are then issue with a membership card.
My 2nd visit there was on the evening of 26th October. I was invited there by a Japanese colleague who is a member of the club and we went with another colleague who is Spanish.After our meal our host (my Japanese colleague) asked for the receipt upon which we were presented with a piece of paper bearing a handwritten amount of GHc180. When he insisted on a proper receipt one of the Italian owners by name AXL told us that this was all they gave as they were a club and not a restaurant. My colleague was told that if he insists on a receipt he would have to come to the shop the following day to be issued with a “receipt” for the purchase of seafood from the shop and not for the food we had consumed.
Nevertheless, as our Spanish colleague wanted to join the club too our host informed the owners and they fetched their membership register for him to join. At that point, I asked if I could also join to which he replied “No, it is for white people only” and then laughed. I was completely taken aback and rendered speechless that this man could have the effrontery to make such a bigoted and racist statement. We left the restaurant shortly thereafter.
It is my sincere hope that this matter will be taken up by your good selves and the public made aware that such an establishment is our midst. We cannot be subjected to open racism in our own country and we need to send a clear message to expatriates living here who mistreat their local staff and look down upon us Ghanaians that we WILL NOT stand for it.
By: Amma Bonsu
MY SOLUTION IS THIS
1. THAT BUSINESS SHOULD BE CLOSED DOWN WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT
2. ALL ASSETS CEASED AND USED FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD
3. OWNERS SHOULD BE DEPORTED IMMEDIATELY
@nana yaa, I def. feel you but then the question is would any of these steps be taken.Ghanaians would even hype people from Liberia/some other african country and disregard their own country man/woman.Recently I read the Ghana airways plane have been sold to a togolese woman.Its actually going to be used to run a restaurant.I dont know but maybe it will take Gods intervention to change that mentality.
@Adjoa Nbaaso),
Yea, I think you’re one intelligent Ghanaian.
Almost very Ghanaian sees Ivorian,A Nigerian,a Togolese as special more than him/herself.
That how stupid we as Ghanaians are. A Sire Lankan in Ghana is regarded as WHITE.
if Jato Rawlings were to be a dark skined person,people wouldn’t die to follow him although he stole and killed those who opposed him.Now Jato is the most RICHEST Ghanaian and he still wants to come back bcos he knows thare are fools who wants to see his come back,like Gyadu Blay Ambuley.
Chris, thanks for this and I hope all the hundreds and thousands of people who read this blog especially those who comment when a scandal comes up will all come to comment on this today.
We have to say NO to discrimination in all forms. This is racism at its peak. So if your own people treat you this way, what will you expect from others? I wonder how the sister’s face will look in front of her foreign friends. They will not RESPECT her from that point. This restaurant must be shut down now and now.
YOU CANT IMAGINE HOW PISS I AM AFTER READING THIS. THIS RESTAURANT PEOPLE NEED TO BE BITCHED SLAPPED. I SWEAR IF I WAS THIS WOMAN, I WILL SHOW MY MADNESS THERE. I WILL SCATTER THE WHOLE PLACE. THIS IS NONSENSE AND THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES IN GHANA HAVE TO GO TO THE BUTTOM OF THIS.
IN 2011, WE ARE STILL BEING TREATED LIKE DOGS. WE HAVE TO SPEAK UP AND THANKS FOR SPEAKING UP AMMA BONSU. THANKS FOR BRINGING IT HERE TOO CHRIS.
Not a surprise to me. Two buildings away from my office, there is one that ostensibly isn’t open to “the public”. And then the next moment, you see loads of white folks lining up to enter. Funny though, black waitress and waitresses, serve there.
@Boafo, just like during slavery when the black worked while the white enjoyed! For this to go on
in 2011 and in Africa, it’s a shame. The white men travels to Africa he/she is enjoying life with high
respect. The black men travels into the West and suffers like no other simple because of their skin
colour! When is this to end?
@Akosua,
This is just sad, that its happening in our own country. But I disagree with you that all black ppl who travel abroad suffer or that all of them suffer bcos of their skin color. There are lots of black ppl who travel and enjoy their holidays irrespective of skin color, and lots of blacks who travel and find success in other countries. Although you are not completely wrong you arent completely true either.
On a another note, sth has to be done about these idiots behaving like this in our own country
Uncle Atta pls do sth
Damn ok so initially I thought so the restaurant owners have sat in a meeting and put on their agenda. NO BLACK ALLOWED. It would seem the place is not owned by Ghanaians. Damn this is so insulting but lets not pretend this should be shocking as I’ve heard many stories like the one Chris said. The issue is the frustrating thing is what can really be done. Its total BS. Good on the girl who wants her experienced voiced out. nonsense!
That can’t go on. We get discriminated against abroad then get the same nonsense in OUR OWN COUNTRY, from foreigners? No way. There is something fundamentally wrong with Ghana for us to allow this to go on. Seriously annoyed.
please GH. let our la enforcement take a good good look into this matter ,and if the restaurant operators are found gilty,then we have the right to chant, run and burn down the babylon and send them back to where they belongs cuz wi nuh need none ah dem tin deh inna fi wi muma lan seen
Africans especially Ghanaians and their obsession of white people! I’ve travel to Ghana many times and the services given to the white and the Africans there are clare differences… It’s a big shame. In Europe the black men can’t get into any club and when in Ghana the black men can’t get into a club!?!?!
I believe that our politics need a change in terms of race/skin colour. Do Ghana have low regarding race/skin colour discrimination?
@Akosua, You can say that again my sister.
I believe this influence always comes from the government(politics)Why wont bleaching be the national anthem of some women when they feel skin color plays a major role on their society?Well, I hope our little contributions would make a difference. We must learn to appreciate our own before its too late.We need to wake up from our slumber before darkness comes.
This is very sad. They have no right to discriminate anybody. If the clubs and restaurants are opened for whites only, then why open it in a country where majority of the inhabitants are black? They can as well close it because this doesn’t make any sense. i’M SO PISSSED OFF about this. \this must be drawn under the attention of the gouvernment and if nothing is done about it, then PROTEST with the aim of either they accept blacks or close the clubs and rastaurant. periode. I think we Ghanaians are too nice and too tolerance to everything. WAKE UP AND FIGHT FOR YOURSELVES!!!1111
This is totally unacceptable. The responsible authorities must look into this ASAP. I am a white person born in Ghana and married to a Ghanaian and have Ghanaian nationality and I am appalled that something like this is going on. Shame on the owner. The place should be shut down and the owner prosecuted and deported. Shame on him. Big Shame. We are all human beings and should not discriminate against one other.
This is very sad:(! This restaurant have to be closed! How on earth! I wld like to see the face of our president if he was told this! This situation can never happen abroad that a ghanaian wld own a shop and say black only eiish how? Instant killing be what? I dont think this can happen in nigeria!!! This is evil!
@Stacy, yep…this will neva happen in nigeria. the restaurate need to be burned
This must not happen in our Ghana. How on earth will a Ghanaian be denied access to membership to any club or restaurant operating in Ghana. What is the difference between this and the segregation that went on in South Africa during Apartheid when white folks went to different schools and blacks went to other. When white folks had different clubs, restaurants, hospitals and when black folks had different ones?
This 2011 Ghana and we should not allow this to happen. We should not allow anyone to treat us as trash or as 2nd class citizens in our own nation
This is absurd, simply ludicrous but i feel like we as Ghanians are to be blamed too cos we allow such things to happen. We are to nice to foreigners even nicer to them than our fellow Ghanians and sme of them just take advantage of that and take a piss! we shd be smarter n look out for one another intead of idolizing foreigners who cant make it big in eir own country but r lording it over us in Ghana. I also blame our leaders who out of greed decide to give them big contracts instead of Ghanians thus empowering them more economically n rendering us poorer n poorer, poverty is what makes ppl idolized these foreigners to get sme lil money just to get by. They should be stopped now! Closed down e club! we need to go on a demonstration to make sure it doesnt happen anywhere in Ghana again! im ready if anyone wants to join the crusade, we need to be treated not equally but even better in OUR OWN COUNTRY! Trust me nigerians wont stand for this
@sweetness, u said it all…Ghanaians treat foreigners like some1 send from God…this nonses can never happen in Nigeria….i know for sure the restaurant would have close the same day …Ghanaians are too scare to stand for themself ….WE SHOULDN’T LET THIS RESTAURANT RUN AT ALL IN ALL MEANS …
Seriously?? Are these guys kidding me? They are going to live in our country and mistreat us?? No. That is not how it works. Only in Ghana will something this repelling occur. What is the Ghanaian government do about this?? If the US and other civilized countries have moved beyond “open racism”, why should Ghana still live with it??
Comment for GC
I rather die on my feet than to live on my knees being a slave or discriminated either in my country or elsewhere. An important phrase from a Black American Soul singer some years back. Before I venture for comments about this issue, I asked myself if its necessary to do, because I assume no one feels himself responsible for these down rooted and profound issues in Ghana or Africa as a whole which is devastating our nations. Africans are damn aware of these issues since decades that every light skinned person no matter wherever they come from arrives in the continent and are being worshiped and treated outrageously than ourselves. We always pay for the mistakes that we do in this world, for example if Burgers arrives in their countries, they are treated likewise, there is no doubt that this situation will forever remain. Let us simply start to accept who we are and LOVE each other in our various countries before others and the rest will follow automatically like western countries. Always blaming someone for our mistakes can never solve it. Word to a wise…
Eddy King
Ghana cannot go down the path of an apartheid, to think their could be racism in Africa of all places still sickens me, but the fact that it’s in my homeland of Ghana is unexceptable. If other ethnic monitored believe they are somewhat inferior to the inhabitants of Ghana, LEAVE simple. How can Ghanaians be turned away in their own country, officials have to make an example of this ridiculous company and remove it or make it impossible for them to do such stupid actions. Leaving it along will only make it worse, we need to move forward in our nation, companies like that only take us steps back!
Wow. WTF is going on in Ghana now? How come some damn Italiano come to Ghana and treat Ghanaians like this? Who even gave this restaurant the permission to operate this way in Ghana? Where can you have a restaurant or club with exclusive membership to only white people in this world? You cant even do that in Europe where whites are majority and you come to Ghana to do this? WHERE IS THE PRESIDEDT OF GHANA? ah
I think this should go beyond this forum. We should maybe get some signatures and present it to some body responsible for such issue to deal with not only this stupid club but all such discrimination cos this is getting out of hand. What kind of nonsense if our laws and policies will not serve the interest of its citizens first. Am really upset.
Hey thats a great idea. Imma do a facebook SHUT DOWN WHITES ONLY RESTAURANT IN GHANA dolphin n lobster co. LOCATED IN OSU, ACCRA GHANA. then all of us should like it and forward it to MPs@Awusi,
@seeci :), There is already a FB page for that.
ohh okay then i will find it and posit it here@Haidab Hany,
@seeci :),Soubds great seeci, I’m with you.
Hahahaa this is real popie show wake up GHANA and live and stop these whites who are nothing in thier in thier own country and trying to come and disrespect us in our own land,where are our musicians and comedians send this message across the nation , we want all foreigners to be second class citizens in GHANA OUR MOTHER LAND or fire fi fire blood fi blood.everyGHANAIAN CITIZEN IS V I P in GHANA . WE WANT JUSTICE FOR THIS MATTER NOW
WTF!! I’m pissed like hell after reading this. We can’t allow such a thing happen in our own country because if it starts out like this you never know what will happen next. I believe this issue is so sensitive we can’t afford not to do anything about it.
Our security capos should investigate and deal with them for practising racism here in Ghana, in the interim THAT BUSINESS SHOULD BE CLOSED DOWN WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT
The question people are asking here is ‘what is the government doing about it?” AND THERIN LIES THE PROBLEM. Why do Ghanaians look to government for everything? the government are fellow Ghanaians picked from among the people. If we non-government folk are sitting by, why do we think our fellow Ghanaians in govt will have the liver to do anything different? We are one and the same. Americans will not wait for government. Oya ke mra (quick quick) the media will broadcast it to the nation starting with local TV stations and then it will move up to CNN and then BBC will jump in on it. But everyday Americans will take the situation into their own hands first. If we are not proactive then forget about the Ghana government standing up for us. Some people have said we are too nice as a people. You are damn right. Look nobody has respect or fear for nice people. Niceness is a cowards way of getting by. Nice people lack balls and everybody knows it. So its time we learnt to stand up for ourselves. We need a few radicals in Ghana to shake that place. Stuff like this just makes my blood boil. I am so effing tired of timidity in my people.
This is why some rich Ghanaman should pay to have that establishment burned down quick…..just one night swoop in n burn it down@moki,
OMG!!! what kind of nonsense is that?
Sometimes I blame some of we Ghanaians, majority of Ghanaians will kiss their ass just b’cos they are white(obroni).
Am only wishing that this lady can take legal action against them.
Yep greed only. This place should be FINED THEN BURNED DOWN BY SOME RUTHLESS ACTIVISTS I know the thinking is that somehow only foreigners can afford the membership but i tell you this place is KKK owned n should not be alkowed.
Just like everyone else, I AM PISSED AS HELL!! WHAT THE F**K?
wtf is all i have to say rightnow
get some thugs and burn that shit down.
This is RIDICLOUS…The ppl of Ghana shd boycott this place of business…And the government shd put this company out of business ASAP….I am just LIVID to hear about this incident….Segregation? Discrimination?? BULLSHIT not in my motherland…If u want to operate a business to accpmodate only ‘WHITE” ppl, then I suggest they go operate the business some where else, but not in a black dominated country or Africa for that matter…The Government shd do something about this NONSENSE b4 it gets out of hand……..
this is not good at all, am very up set. and so angery, ghanaians should stand up this time and do somthing about this isue now . I wishe i was that girl i would destroy everything in the resturant and have it close by all means cos we are no moire in the slave trade bullshit let every ghanaian say a big no to this nonses
Dis is ridiculous.In our own motherland?How can u open a restaurant which is meant for the public & ban the citizens from coming there?Something must really be done abt dis.
ARAT NONSENSE* how the hell can you open a restaurant on a BLACKMAN’S land and claim it’s for only WHITE people…..Nkwasia s3m paa nie!!…When did apartheid end???. And to think it happened right in Accra, these people are here to get us again…Day light discrimination, what impudence?. It’s hard time the government takes citizenship laws in Ghana serious just these same people are doing in their various countries……I’ll definitely come back to make more comments…mtcheeeeeeeeew!!.
STOP KISSING ASS OF FOREIGNERS! IF they had opportunities in their country they won’t be in Ghana! Stop believing that foreigners are in Ghana to help. Some Ghanaians are too NAIVE!
This is very upsetting. I had a similar experince last year at the Ghana High Commission in New York when I was applying for a new Ghana passport… After waiting for over 45mins at the waiting room, the receptionist decided to call two European couples who had just arrived 15mins after my wait time to be attended to. As my blood level rose beyond boiling point and before I altered my first word, the couples gracefully interveinved and told that ignorant foolish receptionist that I arrived earlier than they did. Mind you, the space that the commission occupies is technically part of Ghana Nation. It is unbelievable how people act in such a manner. In the case of the restaurant owned by these foriegners who are discriminating against the local population, the government shoul step up and close this property.
We shdn’t allow this to happen in Ghana. That is very disrespectful and very insulting.
they just taking our friendship and feeling to comfortable. Also i blame our own Ghanaians who cater to them than our own ppl ..How is that possible..They come to our country do whatever they want and we give them the support most of the time because of their skinn color ..Im sure that restaurant aint even close to Olive Garden too
This one di333 i can’t believe it. in my own motherland. who gave them the licence to operate in the first place? aaaaaaaah! God have mercy. The authorities much hear of this.
BLACK MONKEYS! DO U THINK WHITE PPL RESPECT U? u bleach ur skin to look like them, u wear weaves in your hair, we are ashamed to speak our own native language. we respect someone because they were born abroad than someone born in our home land. If we don’t respect ourselves why would they? because we are soo stupid and put white ppl and their culture up so high..just look at how hard they try to be american and bristish in their movies ..foreigner are taking over Ghana. I’m not mad at the business owner I’m bad at STUPID AFRICANS for letting it happen
dont blame them we av caused it but i am so damn sure that, i will definately be at that restaurant n trust me as hell, u will all read about if only i get that kinda nauseating reception n even if i dont, i will by all means cos a thousand to stare…………………………………………..
ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING AND DEPLORABLE!!!
like seriously for real,first things first.who the hell work for this people?is it no Ghanaians?is time ghanaians wake up and do something about this issues.i am a Ghanaian-based in Canada,THIS IS NOT HOW THIS PEOPLE TREAT US HERE.
INDEED THIS IS DISHEARTHENING; BEING DISCRIMINATED IN MA OWN COUNTRY?? WTF!!! SOMETHING MUST SURELY BE DONE
Infact am speechless.. what the fuck?
I hate to say this, but believe me you gave them that hand. So Indians came to Nigeria after Airtel was taken over by the Barti family few years back and have the gods to sack over 80% of their staffs which are Nigerians for no reason, they were given 24hours to reverse that decision or take their network/business to somewhere else. In Nigeria we dont see them as anything, but here in Ghana its the other way round. You cherish and treat them like their God. Was at Oak Plaza Hotel at east airport road few days back, it was morning and i was called up to go for my breakfast at the restaurant. I was very shocked to what i saw, they were this 5 white guys believed to be Germans seating close to me. Initially didnt understand why they were laughing so i was kind of confused, but later realized they were laughing at the Ghana dude and his girl/friend because they tried to test almost everything as its a buffet. I was so mad at them that i even directed an insult to them and also letting them know am a Nigerian, so atleast they will know i dont give a fuck about them. I dont and can never blame the guy and his girl/friend because $250 a night is not that easy to come by. At the end i went straight to the guy, had a chat with him and we decided to confront them because then i was fucking pissed. They did apologized and were like we are not racist and my response was who cares? Do that to me in Nigeria and i will make you smell your ass. I dont know how the manager surfaced and i explained what happened and she pleaded us to forgive them on the ground that the issue will be treated. Like as i said, it wasn’t directed to me but am Black and proud to be. The manager who happens to be a lady Mrs/Ms Sarah called my room after few hours to apologize again.
You all needs to know this; Your Government cant do everything all by themselves, you need to stand up for your right and make them understand you won’t racially abused in their countries and again in your own country Never.