An Analysis of Ghana’s Approaches towards Addressing Irregular Trans-Saharan Migration to Europe.

Abstract

Many young Ghanaians risk their lives to cross the Sahara-desert and the Mediterranean Sea to seek greener pastures in Europe. By so doing they expose themselves to this dangerous journey, and some even lose their lives. It is for this reason that this dissertation sought to ascertain the causes of and effort made by Ghana to curb irregular migration through the Sahara-desert and the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. The study is qualitative and relied on both primary and secondary data. The study used Czaika and De Haas’ conceptual framework designed in their “Effectiveness of Immigration Policies” to analyze the various interventions by Ghana to address the irregular migration from Ghana. The findings identified lack of information/misinformation, limited economic opportunities, strict visa application processes, poverty and lack of agricultural facilities as major causes of irregular migration in general and are also specific to Ghana. It was also found that Ghana in collaboration with some non-state actors primarily the International Organization for Migration uses sensitization and education as the main tool to curb irregular migration from the country. The study’s assessment of this measure couple with others indicates that sensitization and education, though an effective strategy, implementation has not resulted in the desired objective of substantially reducing irregular migration from Ghana to Europe through the trans-Saharan route. Addition, the study notes that a major challenge leading to the ineffectiveness of the measures adopted was the short-term approach as well as limited funding and discontinuity of the programs. The study, therefore, recommended the need for continuous sensitization programmes, provision of adequate agricultural facilities, provision of adequate funding to the Ghana Immigration Service, implementation of the National Migration Policy and formalization of migration for unskilled labour through bilateral and multilateral agreements.