Centre for Migration Studies
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Item Victimization and Vulnerability of Migrants in the Street: Case Study of Street Children in Agbogbloshie, Accra(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Gyami, G.O.In the world of unequal opportunities are children deprived of normal home life with kith and kin who have to be in the street to struggle and engage in all activities for their survival and that of their relatives. The number of children, both foreigners and nationals, on the streets is becoming alarming. The stigma involved and their fears on the streets have not received the needed attention as well as reactions. The objectives of the study were to investigate and comprehend their experiences on the streets and mainly to find out the problems the street children are vulnerable to as well as the bad situations they found themselves in. A total number of thirty (30) very young children who stay on the streets of Agbogbloshie were selected to participate in the study. A qualitative research was employed involving an in-depth knowledge (lived experiences) of the phenomenon. The findings of the study indicated that street children have problems regarding their accommodation and are dissatisfied with their jobs, which then place them at risk of involving themselves in social vices. They are vulnerable to theft, sickness, rape, assault, harassment, stigmatization, exploitation, abuse and accidents (car and motorbike accidents). The study admits that victimization is a societal problem that requires cooperation of agencies, organizations and individual skills and benevolence, and failure to do at least something endangers the life of these vulnerable young people.Item Socio-Cultural and Economic Factors Affecting the Integration of Former Liberian Refugees in Ghana: A Case Study of Accra, Kasoa and Buduburam.(University of Ghana, 2019-09) Amoani, S.Globally refugee integration has been one of the three durable solutions that has been used worldwide. Millions of refugees around the world live year after year with little hope of ever returning home. Some cannot because their countries are engulfed by endless conflict or because they fear persecution if they were to return. In cases where repatriation is not an option, finding a home in the country of asylum and integrating into the local community could offer a durable solution to their plight and the chance to build a new life. This study examined the socio-cultural and economic factors affecting integration of former Liberian refugees in Ghana. The specific objectives were to examine the demographic characteristics of L.I applicants and how it affected their integration processes, economic and socio-cultural factors effect on L.I applicants as well as how GRB and UNHCR approach towards integration of refugees in Ghana. The research employed a mixed methods approach with a sample size of seventy (70) respondents for quantitative and eight (8) in-depth interviews consisting of four (4) LI applicants and relevant organizations including GRB, UNHCR, GIS and NADMO (Camp Management) for the qualitative. The concepts of social, cultural and economic integration were used for the conceptual framing of the work. Among the key findings of the study were that; first, 48.6% of the respondents opted to stay in Ghana because of physical security, two-fifth of them (40.0%) used the money received as part of the LI package to pay school fees. The main economic factors affecting the integration of the LI applicants is high standard of living and difficulty in getting access to job opportunities in Ghana. Socio-culturally, more than half (61.4%) of the respondents could not speak any Ghanaian language, which is vital to the integration process, but overwhelming majority (91.4%) responded yes to enjoying Ghanaian food. Again, close to three-quarters (71.4%) mentioned that they belong to a religious group. The study concluded that, support from GRB and UNHCR and some state organizations aided in the integration process through skills training, facilitation of legal documents as well as community integration. It is recommended that, access to social services, acquisition of resources should be made available and accessible to L.I applicants to ensure fairness and balance in acquiring resources. Since issues surrounding local integration are complex in nature, such processes should start from the time the country (Ghana) opens its borders to refugees in order to avoid possible problems at the end of the refugee cycle.Item The Role of Social Capital in the Migration and Livelihood of Migrants in Poor Urban Communities in Accra(University Of Ghana, 2018-07) Lomotey, C.The importance of social capital is not only recognized in the sphere of migration but also embedded in economics, social and political scope which makes it a significant tool in social setting. This study focused on how migrants accessed social capital in the process of migration and its effect on their livelihood at the destination. This study examined the various forms of social capital that migrants use in their migration process as well as their livelihood strategies. It also explored how existing social capital can be improved to address the needs of migrants at their destination. The theoretical background encompasses the social capital concept, its related models and how it results in migration. Semi structured questionnaires and an interview guide were the data collection tools used. The study involved both qualitative and quantitative data. The quantitative data made use of the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents as well as the forms of social capital they employed. The qualitative data involved key informant interviews used in obtaining adequate knowledge on social capital and its related networks that were patronized by would be migrants. The sample size was 120 migrants within the study area (Mamobi and Madina). The quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 32 while the qualitative was done thematically by referring to the objectives. Findings from the study indicated that a substantive number of migrants relied on social capital not only in their migration but also as a livelihood strategy. The most form of social capital relied on by migrants was the bonding social capital from relations and friends. From the findings, it was evident that migrants were confronted with certain challenges in relation to accommodation and employment. It is concluded that the reliance on social network impacted positively on the lives of migrants as well as their families. The study recommended that government through its local agencies (Ministry of Works and Housing) as well as NGOs ought to provide temporary shelters in migrant prone areas in order to reduce migrants prevailing usage of the street and shops of urban settlement as their abode.Item An Assessment of Migration Process, Livelihood, Challenges and Coping Strategies of Migrant Traffic Entrepreneurs in the Ga-East District, Accra(university of Ghana, 2018-07) Ocloo, C.E.Rural poverty and regional difference in social and infrastructural development has resulted in the high rate of rural-urban migration. This has brought about the rapid urbanization which results unmet demand for jobs and other opportunities. Many are now engaged in traffic entrepreneur business as a source of livelihood for their dependants and families both at the destination and origin. In pursuance of their source of livelihood which is selling on the street, traffic entrepreneurs are faced with the resistance from the Ga-East Municipal Assembly city authorities who view their activities as illegal and a distortion to urban aesthetics. Traffic entrepreneurs in the quest to make a living, sometimes ignore rules and regulations that govern the use of urban space. This results in traffic entrepreneurs using unapproved public space for their activities. Municipal authorities and taskforce are forced to use means like demolition, decongestion and fining of offender to regulate their activities. This study therefore sought to explore the challenges migrant traffic entrepreneurs encounter and some coping strategies they have adopted in the Ga-East District. Specifically , the study tries to explore the socio-demographic characteristics of the migrants traffic entrepreneurs ; the factors that influence them to migrate to Accra; to examine the relationship between traffic entrepreneurs and city Authorities; to find out the challenges the face on daily basis; to find out and the coping and adaptation strategies they have developed to overcome these challenges and to examine the effect of migration on their livelihoods and those of their families at both the destination and origin. The mixed method approach which involves using both the qualitative and quantitative method was used in this study to gather data from 100 traffic entrepreneurs who have migrated to Accra for the survey questionnaires, in-depth interview of 6 informants and 6 key informants from the Ga-East Municipal Assembly. Purposive sampling was used to select the respondents for the interview. The study revealed that traffic entrepreneurs are often evicted from doing business in unapproved open public space by the Task force of the Ga-East Municipal Assembly .Traffic entrepreneurs have also adopted strategies to avoid the hurdles of constant eviction from the pavement and open public places by the Municipal taskforce. Some recommendations have been made at the end of the survey to regularize the activities of traffic entrepreneurs effectively and how the city officials can have a better relation with them.Item Transnational Activities and Integration Processes of Francophone Migrants in Accra(University of Ghana, 2018-07) Aryeetey, K.M.In spite of the treatment of transnationalism and integration as separate subjects by previous studies, there has been growing interest in how transnationalism and integration interact and what the outcomes of these interactions are on migrants and host society relations. These recent studies have however focused on migrants in North America and Europe with very limited attention on how the twin phenomena interact within African contexts. Drawing on the framework of Erdal and Oeppen (2013), who categorize the outcomes of the interactions as additive, synergistic and antagonistic; this study explored the transnational activities and integration processes of francophone migrants. The study examined the factors that influenced the migrants’ integration and the outcomes of the interactions between transnational activities and integration processes. Adopting a qualitative approach, and using a snowball sampling method, twelve (12) migrants from six (6) francophone West African countries were interviewed primarily in Alajo and Kisseman, two suburbs of Accra. The major findings of the study indicate that, the motivations for migrating to Ghana were largely economic and educational in nature and almost all of the participants had some form of early networks established prior to their arrival. In addition, the transnational activities that the migrants engaged in helped them to maintain ties with their home countries, strengthened their national identity and group identity as people of francophone origin and aided in their integration efforts. With respect to the participants' integration; the study found that migrants were integrated economically and socio-culturally in various ways, but faced certain structural and socio-cultural challenges that hindered their ability and/or willingness to integrate. While factors such as length of stay, access to information prior to migration and motivations for migrating influenced the migrants’ integration efforts to some extent; the circumstances migrants encountered once in Ghana as well as their individual agency played a larger role in influencing their integration process. In addition, the migrants experienced different outcomes based on their levels of transnational engagement and integration and the interaction of the transnational activities and the dimensions of integration. It was therefore possible for the migrants to experience the same economic and socio-cultural outcomes or different economic and socio-cultural outcomes. The francophone migrants were most likely to experience a synergistic economic outcome, where the resources gained from one place (either origin or settlement) were used to develop further resources in the other place. On the other hand, the migrants were just as likely to experience an antagonistic socio-cultural outcome as they were to experience a synergistic outcome. An overall additive outcome where the interactions lead to an additive economic outcome and an additive socio-cultural outcome was the least likely to occur among the francophone migrants interviewed. Finally, as noted in the typology of Erdal and Oeppen (2013); several of the migrants engaged in a balancing act, straddling the societies of here (Ghana) and there (origin country). The migrants accessed opportunities and benefits such as finding jobs, making investments and buying property while also bearing responsibilities in both places. These responsibilities included activities such as sending remittances to the origin county and paying rent in Ghana. The study recommends that measures that could potentially aid integration efforts such as creating a more transparent and streamlined process in acquiring residence and work permits and standardising the requirements and regulations for rental properties be introduced.Item Benefits of Nigerian Migrant Associations: The Role of Nigerian Migrants in Nigerian Migrants integration and Adjustment Prospects in Accra, Ghana(2018-07) Adzah, Y.W.Migrant associations in different part of the world have been acknowledged by scholars due to the current expansion of such associations and their roles in the integration and adjustment processes for their members in host communities within destination countries. Though these associations have become globalized, existing literatures mostly focus on those in the developed countries like the USA especially migrants from Central and Latin America. Generally, in Ghana and Africa, literature on migrants associations are scanty as a result of absence of proper structures to monitor the affairs of these associations as well as the bureaucratic challenges when registering a group or an association. The study sought to tease out the benefits derived from migrants associations namely Nigerian Committee of Brothers, Nigerian Women and Edo State associations in Accra, Ghana and how members of these associations rely on them to ensure adjustment, integration and development. The study relied on secondary data retrieved from different sources as well in-depth interviews from five (5) key informants selected purposively from the associations. The study revealed that social network binds Nigerian migrants in complex social and interpersonal relationship away from their usual kinship-oriented networks (eg family system) using the associations as a substitute. The inability of Ghanaian state institutions to handle migrant needs effectively, the associations play expert roles to ensure their adjustment and integration into Ghana. Although the associations don’t serve as a direct mode of economic development, their social activism makes them useful social development agents in Ghana.Item Living Conditions and Return Strategies of Head Porters (Kayayei) In Madina, Accra.(University of Ghana, 2017-07) Makorni, A.S.The migration of young women from other parts of Ghana (especially from the three northern regions) to Accra to undertake head porterage business activities has been a matter of great concern to governments due to its associated social issues. In fact, recent flooding situations in Accra beside been attributed to poor drainage systems have also been attributed to the burgeoning number of slum dwellings created by some of the indigenous population as well as migrant head porters in certain areas in the country. In view of this, the current study sought to examine the living conditions, coping and return strategies, as well as the demographic characteristics of head porters in Madina (Accra). To achieve these objectives, a survey on Seventy (70) conveniently sampled head porters within Madina was conducted using the cross-sectional, qualitative and quantitative research approaches. Availability and willingness of head porters to partake in this study was taking into account. Also necessary ethical considerations were observed, permission was obtained from respondents before audio recordings were made. The use of quantitative and qualitative research approach was to gain more insight from respondents in regards to the topic under study. The findings of the study showed that these young girls, popularly referred to as “Kayayei”, live in very deplorable conditions in Accra. The issue of access to housing and housing facilities, education and health were the major social challenges these girls face. In spite of these challenges, the findings of the study showed that these girls have managed to cope with these conditions through their engagement in multiple economic activities to increase their incomes. It was also recorded that the majority of these girls intend to return home in future to actively participate in the social and economic transformation of their regions or towns. Finally, the study also captured that most of these head porters were from the northern parts of Ghana and were Muslims. In recommending a possible solution to the head porter migration issue, the study advocates a holistic approach in which government should assist in providing basic social amenities at the destination to make living conditions better as well as assist in providing start up capital for head porters who are keen on starting a small business. The government should also see to it that minors under the age of 18 years are enrolled in the free compulsory universal basic education at their origin and also design and implement national development policies to ensure that the deprived areas from which these girls migrate are developed. Parents who are caught voluntarily sending their children to be involved in hard active employment must be prosecuted. Civil society groups must play an active role in addressing some of the issues that give rise to the migration of these young girls from the northern regions to big cities. This will aid in reversing the phenomenon, as well as reduce the yearly movement of young girls from rural areas to urban centres in search of better opportunities.Item Perception Of Residents Of Accra And Tema Of The Link Between International Migration And Terrorism(University of Ghana, 2016-07) Bongne, FThere is a global perception that international migration and terrorism are linked. This perception is due mainly to the fact that the 2001 attacks in the United States; 2004, 2007 and 2015 attacks in Madrid, London and Paris, respectively, all involved foreign migrants or their offspring. Though Africa is often classified as a hotbed of terrorism, little research has been conducted to establish the connection between international migration and terrorism. The activities of terrorist groups in West Africa have worsened the security landscape of the sub-region already plagued by bad governance, economic deprivation and conflict. Though, Ghana has not yet experienced any act of terrorism, its location within the sub-region and recent developments in the country make it at a risk of a potential terrorist attack. Ghana has a large immigrant population, mostly made up of West African nationals who are either residing in the country permanently or temporarily. These notwithstanding, there is a dearth of knowledge of any possible link between terrorism and international migration in the West African sub-region in general and Ghana, in particular. Not much work exists on international migration as a conduit for terrorism despite anecdotal evidence indicating some Ghanaian nationals migrated abroad to join terrorist groups. The study, therefore, set out to explore the link between international migration and terrorism, if any, with particular reference to Ghana. To achieve this, the study adopted the mixed methods approach. Through a sample size of 100 respondents, it administered questionnaires and conducted in-depth interviews among the sampled population to extract their views and perceptions of the association between international migration and terrorism. It also adopted the securitization and psychometric paradigms as well as the integrated threat and cultural theories to explain how migration and terrorism are constructed as security threats and the attitudes of people towards these threats. The general outcome was that respondents felt there was no connection between terrorism and international migration. Recommendations such as improving border security, constructing a more security–conscious urban infrastructure to handle crisis situations and increased public awareness campaigns on terrorism and security were therefore made.