Centre for Migration Studies
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Item The ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol and Diversity of Experiences of Different Categories of Migrants: A Qualitative Study(International Migration, 2021) Yeboah, T.; Kandilige, L.; Teye, J.K.; et al.While studies have drawn attention to the operationalization, and implementation challenges associated with the ECOWAS free movement protocol, our understanding of how different categories of migrants experience the protocol is far more limited. Drawing on data from interviews conducted with 23 ECOWAS migrants living or traveling to Ghana, immigration officials, and a trade union representative, this paper examines the diversity of experiences of ECOWAS migrants about the free movement protocol. The findings suggest that the experiences of ECOWAS nationals in areas such as awareness and knowledge of provisions in the protocol, border crossing, processes of acquiring residence and work permits and renewing permits, and rights of establishment differ remarkably by dimensions of social difference. The gender, social class, and nationality of migrants are fundamental and shape the experiences of ECOWAS migrants in divergent ways. These findings have important implications for policies seeking to promote free movement in West Africa.Item The Role Of Middlemen In The Facilitation Of Labor Market Access Of Migrants In Ghana.(University Of Ghana, 2022-01) Okai, K.A.Migrants have increasingly become much more reliant on intermediaries for their migration. Consequently, migration intermediaries or "middle men' have become increasingly critical for understanding of the current patterns and experiences of international migration. The main objective of the study is to generally examine the activities of migration intermediaries/middlemen in facilitating the acquisition of immigration permits to migrants in Ghana. The study employed the structuralist approach as its theoretical foundation to show the role middlemen and migration intermediaries play in the facilitation of labour access entry for newly migrants. The study employed a qualitative research design in exploring how middlemen and migration intermediaries facilitate labour access entry for newly migrants. An interview guide was used as the primary data collection instrument. Twenty-Five (25) respondents were chosen using purposive and snowballing sampling. The respondents interviewed includes ten (10) Ghana Immigration Service Officials, five (5) migrants and ten (10) migration intermediaries stationed in Greater Accra. According to the findings of the research, newly migrants benefit from the facilitation roles played by migration intermediaries. The research also shows that the majority of these intermediaries are unregistered and operate illegally. This research strongly recommends that the operations of the GIS be digitized to eliminate the activities of goroboys who are not regulated by any law in Ghana. It also helps to reduce the human element in the immigration permits processing chain thereby reducing extortion, corruption and exploitation of migrants and the loopholes in the current manual processing system being used.Item Experiences of Ghanaian Return Migrants from the Gulf States: A Case Study of Nima(University Of Ghana, 2018-07) Teming-Amoako, T.There is a dearth of literature on return migrants from the Gulf region and their migration experiences while abroad. Anecdotal evidence indicates that the experiences of migrants from the Gulf region have been characterised by a lot of abuses and inhumane treatment on the part of the employers of these migrants. Therefore, the objective of the study was to explore the migration experiences of return migrants from the Gulf region. The research design that was adopted for the study was the mixed methods design. The sample size was made up of 50 respondents selected through the snowball sampling technique. Instruments used for the study were semi-structured questionnaires and in-depth interview guide. The quantitative data was analysed using SPSS version 20 and the qualitative through the use of thematic analysis. The results show that more than half of the returnees prior to migration seek for assistance from travel agencies with funding of migration done by migrants and their immediate families (spouse and sibling). The findings indicated that, after migration, three-quarters of the respondents spent 1 to 3 years at the destination, depending on the type of contract signed. Again, it was evidential that abuses such as denial of food and unpaid extra allowance for extra work done were the immediate abuses encountered which were more associated with family and company employers. The type of work at the destination that came with good salary was domestic work (household chores), ranging from 1100 to 1600 Ghana Cedis. In spite of the negative perception about migration to the Gulf region, some of the respondents‟ status improved economically. It is concluded that return migrants came back to their origin country unprepared with no significant funds, and this had effect on their ability to reintegrate economically and socially.The study concludes that the negative experiences of migrants while abroad pose challenges to returnees upon coming to the home country. This supports Cassarino‟s (2008) explanation of the structural approach which suggests that a social, economic and political condition at destination determines the migrants‟ ability to mobilise both tangible and intangible resources for final sojourn. Recommendations are made for governments and other stakeholders to create awareness about the dangers of domestic work in the Gulf region and the need to seek the right information at the appropriate quarters.Item Migration, Gender Role Remittances of Ghanaian Migrants in Aboard(University Of Ghana, 2018-07) Konadu-Yiadom, E.The study employs secondary data by comprehensively reviewing, analysing and discussing relevant literature on the gendered dimension of migration and remittance flow with respect to Ghanaian female migrants. The study examines the extent to which modification of gender roles of migrants abroad contribute to the flow of remittances with respect to Ghanaian female migrants. Overall, the study identified that there exist a relationship between, women, migration and remittances. The study found out that female migrants send approximately the same amount of remittances as male migrants. However, research suggests that women tend to send a higher proportion of their income, even though they generally earn less than men. They also usually send money more regularly and for longer periods of time. It was identified that women remit more of their earnings than men due to pressures from external family members and a sense of responsibility toward their families. This makes women accept very difficult working and living conditions which under normal circumstance they might not have accepted. While men in migration are more likely to return to their country of origin, women are not, in the sense that for the men, their status and respect is reduced abroad whereas for the women it is increased. Therefore whilst the women send a greater portion of their salaries as remittance, men use their salaries to invest and acquire property at their home countries. Finally, it was identified that there is a modification of gender roles among Ghanaian families abroad, especially in Europe and North America. This change offered more opportunities to women economically and are easily integrated in the economy of the host country. Consequently it helped them to assume the role of “bread winner” with is usually reserved for males at home. This reconfiguration of roles made Ghanaian women abroad more assertive at home and economically freed which added to their ability to remit at any given time without restrictions. This Ghanaian context of gender reconfiguration and the status of women at destination countries therefore supports and explains why women are economically empowered and tend to remit largely than men.Item Migrants in the Trade Sector of Ghana: The Case of Chinese Migrants(University Of Ghana, 2018-07) Gyedu, A.Migration is one of the most topical issues in the last decades due to its complex nature and both the benefits and challenges that come with it. The growing Chinese presence in Africa has led to several agitations and strong public opinions. In recent times, this new trend of migration by Chinese has led to the influx of Chinese products and the rapid growth of small Chines shops. This has been viewed as posing as an obstacle to the indigenes who are managing the informal sector thereby hindering the progress of local factories. Thus, in Ghana the influx of Chines and importation of cheap Chinese products has been one of the most talked about issues. In the wake of various pockets of agitations that continuously arise from Ghanaian traders with respect to the presence of Chinese traders in the trading sector, this study consequently, sought to examine the risks involved for Ghana due to the Chinese traders‘ presence in the country. The study specifically examined the risks, threats and potential health challenges Chinese trade pose to Ghana. The study used a systematic review method to assess Chinese trading activities in Ghana; threats to local businesses. Studies which used qualitative, quantitative and mixed designs are included in this study. Reports on Chinese in migration into Ghana, their contribution to the economy of Ghana as well as the threats they pose to local businesses in Ghana were included. Methodical electronic searches of databases such as ProQuest Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, JSTOR were undertaken. In Ghana, one of the main threats facing the trading industry is the smuggling of Chinese prints through the borders. Smuggling de-regulates the Ghanaian market; that is, it undermines the protective element of the import tariff (and fees and taxes) as it significantly reduces the price at which the Chinese African print may be sold. This makes Ghana‗s textile companies unable to compete on their main market, and even the domestic market which may lead to all those local companies producing these fabrics collapsing. The influx of these cheap Chinese goods in the Ghanaian markets compromise on health and safety standards in the manufacturing process. The illegal mining activities by the Chinese have increased pregnancy, high prevalence of HIV as well as increase in respiratory conditions.Item The Effects Of Rural-Urban Migration On Children Left-Behind By The Migrants: A Case Study Of Ningo -Prampram District In The Greater Accra Region(University of Ghana, 2013-07) Appiahning, S.This study was designed to investigate the effects of rural–urban migration on the migrant children left behind. A cross sectional study where data was collected using two structured questionnaires. Purposive sampling was used to recruit the study participants and these included eighty (80) children whose parents have migrated from the rural areas to the urban areas in Ghana and forty (40) Caregivers / relatives who attended to these children in the absence of their parents. Data on demographics, living arrangements, effects of migration on educational performance, psychological effects on children were collected from the children aged 15-17years. The findings of this study show that in the Ghanaian context the effects of parental migration on children whether desirable or undesirable depends on other socio- economic factors- pull and push. Majority (50%) of both parents have migrated. Few fathers (10%) and 40% of mothers have migrated separately to the urban centres. Majority (71.25%) of the children said the absence of their parents does not deteriorate their academic performance. The care takers/relatives said though the migrants left because of lack of employment opportunities in the rural areas, they (migrants) are unable to send enough remittances for the upkeep of the children while 20% of the migrants do not send remittances at all home. It also came out that the income of the migrants has improved from 15% to 85 %. From the findings of this study, it can be concluded that parental migration and the consequent parent-child separation do not necessarily affect the living arrangement, positioning and attendance of the children’s education adversely if the left-behind children are in the care of caregivers who provide them with the needed care and guidance. In view of this, the Ghanaian family values which encourage child care by all society and family members, and not just biological parents should be upheld and sustained. However, there is the need for care givers especially the educated ones to take the children education seriously by assisting them in their school assignments. Also, the care givers should monitor the children well by attitudes like high tempers, alcohol intake and decision making on their own which will help to know the challenges they face to support them early to avoid further problems.Item Acculturation of Ghanaian Muslims in Western Countries: The Case of Returnees in Accra.(University Of Ghana, 2016-07) Ehuron, J.A.Migrants in general face issues of adaptation in destination countries; this is most severe in the case of Muslim migrants in Western countries. Aftermath of the September 9/11 terrorist attack sparked controversy about Islam and Muslims being an enemy to Western countries. Other terrorist attacks such as Paris attacks, the Charlie Hebdo attack in the same city earlier in the year, including London 7/7, and the Madrid bombing in 2004, the Brussels three explosive bombing of March 2016 which killed 31 people and wounded 250 and other terrorist attacks in Western countries has positioned the Islamic faith and Muslims in general as an enemy to Western society and it’s ideals. Not only have these attacks demean Muslims but also the Al Shabaab militants attacks of 2013 at the Westgate mall that claimed about 27 lives and the March 2015, Garissa University college attack by the same group that claimed about 150 lives. Again the 1998 bombing of the US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dares Salem led to about 200 deaths and 4000 injuries. As a result, this study sought to find out the challenges of Ghanaian Muslim Returnees in the course of their sojourn in Western countries. Using a qualitative interview technique, fifteen Muslim Returnees were interviewed. The data revealed that participants faced enormous challenges in their acculturation process during their stay in Western countries. As a result, participants adopted various coping mechanism to counter these hardships and challenges they faced in various destination countries. Permanent Return as a last resort was adopted by returnees who could not adjust to Western culture. This study therefore has added to the unwritten chapter of Ghanaian Muslims migrants in particular by providing an in-depth analysis and discussion about the hardships and challenges they face in the course of their sojourn in Western countries. Again their coping mechanisms employed are highlighted.