By Philip Tengzu, GNA
Wa (UW/R), Aug. 14, GNA – A study by Professor Elijah Yendaw, Professor of Population and Migration Studies at the University for Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), has called for differentiated migration policies to address the needs of different categories of immigrants in Ghana.
The study, conducted in 2024 and published in the Journal of Identity and Migration Studies, examined the factors influencing the stay intentions of West African itinerant immigrant retailers in Accra.
According to the study, which surveyed 779 respondents and nine immigrant key informants, 85.6 per cent of respondents intended to stay in Ghana temporarily, while 14.4 per cent preferred permanent residence.
The study recommended differentiated migration policies for immigrants who intended temporary residence and those seeking permanent residence in Ghana.
This was contained in a policy brief titled “Ties and Powers that Bind: What Demographics and Social Networks Mean for Immigrants’ Decisions to Stay in Ghana,” sent to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa.
The brief argued that treating all immigrants as having the same settlement intentions could undermine effective migration management.
The study observed that migration decisions were influenced not only by individual preferences but also by familial and friendship networks.
Interviewees indicated that plans to return home or remain in Ghana were often discussed with and shaped by relatives and friends.
The study further identified gender, marital status, country of origin and duration of stay as statistically related to migrants’ stay intentions, while age and education were not significant determinants of those intentions.
The policy brief, however, cautioned against using duration of residence alone as a straightforward measure of settlement intention.
It urged policymakers to move from generic immigrant management towards a stay-intention-sensitive approach that registered temporary residents, engaged the social networks influencing migration decisions and supported the integration and productive contribution of immigrants who intended to remain in Ghana.
Prof. Yendaw, therefore, recommended that Ghana’s migration management system should combine effective registration and monitoring of temporary residents with purposeful integration of immigrants seeking permanent residence.
The policy brief proposed the creation of a detailed nationwide register of temporary immigrant residents to support their identification, dialogue and monitoring, particularly in the context of regional insecurity.
It also called for measures to make immigrants’ economic participation mutually beneficial to the country.
It further recommended collaboration among the Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to develop an appropriate framework for bringing relevant immigrant business activities into the country’s tax system.
For immigrants intending to remain permanently, the brief urged the Government to consider measures that would facilitate their integration and enable Ghana to benefit from their skills and economic activities.
It also recommended that migration policy design should take into account social networks and socio-demographic characteristics, including family ties, friendships, gender, country of origin, marital status and duration of stay.
Prof. Yendaw, who is also the Director-General of the Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI) and a Commissioner of the National Development Planning Commission representing the Upper West Region, prepared the policy brief for the UBIDS’ 6th Research and Development Conference scheduled for September 23 to 25, 2026, in Wa.
The conference is being held under the theme: “Research for Policy: Strengthening Evidence-informed Policymaking for Ghana’s Development”.
GNA
Edited by Audrey Dekalu
Reporter: Philip Tengzu, GNA
Email: [email protected]