By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, Oct. 08, GNA – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has deepened its engagement with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to promote safe migration, public health and the successful reintegration of returnees.
Dr Samuel Beghuma Ahadi, Chief Migration Health Officer for Central and West Africa, led an IOM delegation on a courtesy call on the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Richard Ofori-Agyemang Boadi, at his office in Kumasi.
Dr Ahadi said IOM’s presence in Kumasi was intended to bring migration-related services closer to people in the middle and northern sectors of the country.
He said the services included migration health screening for prospective migrants and returnees, as well as training and other support to facilitate the successful reintegration of returnees into their communities.
Discussions during the visit also focused on opportunities for collaboration in intra-African mobility, support for truck drivers engaged in regional trade, public health interventions and initiatives targeting congested market communities.
Mr Boadi welcomed IOM’s presence in Kumasi, saying it would improve residents’ access to reliable information on international travel and migration.
He said access to such information would enable prospective migrants to make informed decisions and help reduce the risks associated with irregular migration.
Mr Boadi also called for stronger collaboration between IOM and health institutions, including the Kumasi Metropolitan and Ashanti Regional Health Directorates, to develop joint public health interventions for the benefit of residents.
He said closer collaboration among the institutions would strengthen public health interventions while promoting safe and informed migration within the metropolis and the wider region.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Bertha Badu-Agyei/Lydia Kukua Asamoah