Translocal Activities And Rural-Urban Migrants’ Integration Processes In Accra

Abstract

Several studies have primarily examined migrants’ integration in western countries or immigrants from the other African countries. In sub-Sahara Africa and Ghana, there is existing evidence on rural-urban migration but the focus of these studies has not been on how rural-urban migrants engage in translocal activities and integration. Hence, there is paucity of research in Ghana on how rural-urban migrants engage in translocal activities and how they integrate in their destination communities. To understand this nuance and fill the gap, this study adopted a mixed method approach to examine the translocal activities and factors that influence the integration processes of rural-urban migrants. Primary data was collected from rural-urban migrants in Accra. A total of 409 rural-urban migrants were surveyed and 29 interviewees (including 26 rural-urban migrants and 3 key informants) were interviewed for the study. The study revealed that nine in every ten (95.4%) of the migrants have engaged in many translocal activities in their current place of residence, with 76.5 per cent engaged in economic translocal activities, but 90.5% of the migrants do not engage in political translocal activities. Also, about 86.8% migrants socially engage with people in their hometown. About half (50.9%) of rural-urban migrants were totally integrated in their place of destination. The results further showed that more than two-thirds (69.2%) of the respondents who were engaged in political translocal activities were integrated, however, there is no association between social translocal activities and integration among rural-urban migrants. Also, more than half (58.9%) of the respondents who were engaged in cultural translocal activities were integrated into their current place of residence. The results showed that the respondents reported high prices of food, high cost of utility bills, high cost of rent, difficulty in learning the local language at the destination area and difficulty in making friends as factors affecting them to integrate. In addition, dominant strategies adopted by respondents were joining religious bodies, making friends and acquaintances. Others were learning local language, engaging in translocal activities and joining social/cultural clubs. The study, therefore, concludes that the rural-urban migrants get support from family and friends who have already migrated to Accra. They still maintain ties and engage in translocal activities. These activities, coupled with challenges make it difficult for the migrants to fully integrate in their new destination