Stop Irregular Migration; Ghana and the Brong Ahafo Region Need You Alive (original) (raw)

In our world today, there is no longer a single state or country that can claim to be untouched by the phenomenon of mobility of persons. However, irregular migration has been found to be a threat to millions of lives, property, security, national growth and development. Several push and pull factors have been found by researchers and civil society organizations to be the major causes of this problem. In Ghana, the phenomenon is particularly prevalent among the youth, who easily become victims with the hope for making it quick in life, often without knowing the risks and dangers involved in embarking on such adventures. Despite increased security crackdowns, forced mass expulsions by North African security forces, imprisonment and even sometimes brutal murder of irregular migrants on the Libyan desert, thousands of West African migrants still attempt the perilous desert crossing from northern Niger, through Libya with Europe as their ultimate destination. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that up to 35,000 sub-Saharan irregular migrants leave for North Africa and Europe every year. The total number of international migrants has increased from an estimated 175 million in 2000 to 232 million persons in 2015, the United Nations has stated. Many of these migrants are exposed to severe physical abuse and sometimes psychological obstacles on their journey including exposure to disease, lack of food and water, confiscation of documents and in the worst case scenario, tragic death!. In 2015, Ghana was ranked first among some ten (10) other countries from which migrants traveled to Italy by sea and is the top five in the whole of Africa. Poverty, hunger, unemployment and social pressures reinforced by the unfavourable weather conditions and hopelessness among the teaming unemployed graduates are among the basic issues found in this paper to be the major reasons for young people migrating outside their communities. The paper is not in the least, seeking to discourage young people from travelling, but it advocates for young people to follow the proper means of travelling. A combination of efforts among stakeholders, including the churches, embassies, the Muslim communities, social clubs, schools and families should lead the campaign of discouraging young people from such risky journeys. Life is more precious than anything else the world can offer. Read summary version of the article published by the Daily Graphic in Ghana: http://www.graphic.com.gh/opinion/57449-stop-irregular-migration.html