The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has launched a major operation to curb the rising number of foreign street beggars in Accra, resulting in the arrest of over 2,000 individuals from various parts of the city.
The operation, conducted on Friday, May 16, 2025, saw a total of 2,241 foreign nationals apprehended. Among them were 384 adult males, 577 male children, 525 adult females, and 755 female children.
Speaking to TV3 following the exercise, Assistant Commissioner of Immigration and Head of Public Affairs, Mike Amoako-Atta, explained that those arrested are undergoing profiling and medical checks before being relocated.
“The GIS clinic is attending to them and then a team undertakes the profiling after that we bus them to their various destination.
“After their medical screening, we look at their documentation as to how they entered the country and whether they are legal or illegal immigrant,” he stated.
He stressed that the Service is committed to upholding its core values, especially in safeguarding human rights during the operation. Priority is being given to ensuring family units are not separated in the process.
“We are not going to remove parent who are not with or accompanied by their parents, for that we are sure,” he added.
The GIS operation comes amid growing concerns about the proliferation of foreign beggars in the capital, many of whom are seen at traffic intersections, markets, and busy commercial hubs. Authorities say the activity raises both humanitarian and security concerns, prompting the need for coordinated enforcement actions.
