Accra, Dec.24, GNA—Government and relevant agencies must adopt a comprehensive approach in the fight against illegal migration, Mr Samuel Zan Akologo, Executive Secretary, Caritas Ghana , has advised.
He said public education targeted at addressing mindset and behavioral change and misinformation, amongst others, should be properly crafted and enhanced.
“Migration is definitely a security issue but it must not necessarily be addressed by security measures alone. There are many other factors that encourage illegal migration ranging from poverty, climate factors that have led to loss of livelihoods.”
“There is also the issue of mindset and misinformation regarding migration where people have the notion that once they migrate, their fortunes will suddenly turn around for good. We need to address such issues too,” he explained.
Mr Akologo gave the advice on Thursday at the media launch of the Strengthening Border Security (SBS) Action Programme in Accra.
The SBS Project Intervention aims at strengthening capacities of institutions through communication and engagement, training, cross border coordination and information exchange.
It would also promote the protection of vulnerable persons in mobility, effective border security and control, tackle corruption and prevent illegal migration and to engage target groups to adopt best practices.
It targets about 5,000 vulnerable persons (women, children, men, youth especially those unemployed).
The Project is titled: Strengthening Border Security in Ghana (SBS Ghana)
It will focus on nine regions; Central, Ahafo, Northern, Greater Accra, Oti, Upper West, Upper East, Volta and Western Region.
The project is funded by the European Union (EU) and will last for 24 months (October 2021 to September 2023).
Mr Akologo said as part of awareness creation campaigns on illegal migration, citizens would be taught how and where to attain the right traveling documentations.
He said stakeholders should also focus on getting young people to stay in the country and make an honest living.
Mr David Yiridong Issaka, Head of Programmes, Caritas Ghana, said he was hopeful that the intervention would contribute to the Government’s long-term efforts of ensuring human security, free flow of people and goods, rule of law and peace.
He said failures in regional and national institutional synergy and coordination, inadequate logistics, lapses in criminal justice system and national security apparatuses had contributed to increased cross-border criminal activities.
Mr Issaka said the aforementioned factors had impeded good governance and security, leading to negative impacts on the rule of law, economic activities and growth, human rights and widespread societal challenges.
He said among other things, the project would directly impact 2,000 prospective migrants and 200 returnee migrants from selected communities within nine regions in Ghana.
Approximately 100 Victims of child and adult trafficking would also be directly and positively affected by the project, Mr Issaka said.
Mr Marco Bordignon, Programmes Manager, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), lauded Caritas Ghana for embarking on the Project.
He said the rich experience Caritas Ghana had in the area of migration would help them establish a positive dialogue and collaboration with the relevant security agencies.
“We are confident that through this initiative Caritas Ghana would pilot a new practice that would pave the way for an improved communication or collaboration that would benefit the security of the country,” he said.
GNA