As of November 2024, over 12,000 Ghanaians have been deported from various countries over the last five years, according to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).
The deported individuals include 8,186 men and 4,459 women, a trend that highlights the challenges many face while migrating.
The highest number of deportations occurred from countries such as Libya, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, and Canada.
The news was shared by Madam Yaa Oppong Opoku-Agyeman, Assistant Commissioner of Immigration and head of the Migration Information Centre at Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
She disclosed the figures during a gathering in Accra marking International Migrants Day, organized by the SEWA Foundation in collaboration with the Ghana Airports Company Limited.
2022 saw the highest deportation rate, with 3,028 Ghanaians returned to the country.
This year alone, up until November, 2,843 Ghanaians have been sent back, including 2,269 males and 574 females.
Madam Agyeman explained that while migration can be a powerful tool for national development, it must be done responsibly.
Legal migration contributes through remittances, knowledge transfer, and global representation, but irregular migration often leads to dangerous outcomes, including loss of life, exploitation, and even human trafficking.
Mrs. Selma Enyonam Tsatey of the SEWA Foundation emphasized that Ghana can learn from global best practices and create legitimate pathways for young Ghanaians to seek opportunities abroad.
She also called for reforms to make traveling easier, including revising visa policies and enhancing the support system at Ghanaian embassies.
Bright Opoku Appiah, a returnee, added that the government must create a supportive environment to help citizens contribute to the nation’s development while abroad.
This year’s theme for International Migrants Day was “The Human and Labour Rights of Workers Must Be Respected and Protected Across All Borders.