The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) on Friday, 16 May, launched a major nationwide operation to clamp down on undocumented migrants, with the capital, Accra, as the initial focus.
The operation, which commenced in the early hours of Friday, forms part of the Service’s broader efforts to enforce immigration laws and bolster national security.
Hundreds of undocumented migrants—including women, children, and men—have already been detained as part of the exercise. Many of them are believed to have arrived from neighbouring countries and have been living on the streets of Accra, surviving through begging.
According to the GIS, the primary objective is to remove street beggars from the capital, in line with national security and sanitation concerns. However, several migrants argue that their presence in Ghana is driven by extreme circumstances back home.
“Finding food has become a serious problem for us. Our husbands and relatives have been killed, and we can no longer stay in our home country. We are here only because we need to survive, to find something to eat—nothing more,” one detained migrant lamented.
Public reactions to the crackdown have been mixed. While some Ghanaians support the Immigration Service’s efforts, others have criticised the migrants for resorting to begging rather than seeking work.
“Even our Ghanaian mothers have to sell water to make a living,” one resident said.
Others, however, expressed empathy, acknowledging that the migrants may have limited options.
“If they were able to sell water or do any kind of work, they wouldn’t be in the situation they are now,” another local noted.
Despite the divided opinions, many citizens commended the authorities for taking action.
“We truly appreciate the government’s and the Immigration Service’s efforts,” a supporter of the initiative said.
The GIS has indicated that the operation will continue in phases across other major cities, with a focus on ensuring the orderly enforcement of immigration regulations.
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