Over 1,000 Ghanaians Assisted to Return Home since 2017 under EU-IOM Joint Initiative on Migrant Protection and Reintegration

IOM, the International Organization for Migration, in cooperation with the European Union (EU) in Ghana and the Government of Ghana have assisted 1,007 (934 men and 73 women) Ghanaian migrants to return home since May 2017. The majority of the returnees were assisted from Libya (795) and Niger (195).

IOM in Ghana provided them with assistance upon arrival including the provision of pocket money to cover immediate needs. All returnees were eligible for reintegration support based on their needs which includes counselling, education and vocational training, psychosocial and medical support, referral to services or in-kind support through individual, collective or community projects. So far, a total of 556 migrants are in the process of receiving or have received reintegration support.

‘Given the clear links that have been established between migration and development, the Government is committed to developing strategies that will lead to sustainable reintegration of returnees to enable them contribute meaningfully to the country’s development’ said Ms. Rose Tsorhey, Director for Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry of Interior (co-chair of the Project Steering Committee with the EU Delegation).

This assistance is funded by the European Union through the three-year EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration (JIMPR) in Ghana, which began in May 2017. With over 1,000 returns, the programme has exceeded in less than two years its initial target of 650 migrants assisted by IOM in Ghana.

"The European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) has been created first and foremost in the aim to save lives of migrants. Hence I am glad to see that through the EU – IOM Joint initiative for migrant protection and reintegration, the EU and IOM have already supported the return in dignity of more than 1,000 Ghanaians stranded on the routes, mainly in Libya and Niger." stated EU Ambassador to Ghana, Ms. Diana Acconcia.

The project is part of the larger EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration, which facilitates orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration management through the development of rights-based and development-focused policies and processes on protection and sustainable reintegration. The Joint Initiative, backed by the EU Ermergency Trust Fund for Africa, includes close collaboration with 26 African countries. It has so far offered assistance to over 58,000 migrants stranded along the migratory routes in Africa to return home safely.

‘Supporting the safe and dignified return home of more than 1000 Ghanaians - many of whom were in detention - is a significant achievement which needs to be acknowledged. However, much remains to be done to support the successful integration of these migrants in Ghana while at the same time continuing to facilitate new voluntary returns and disseminating safe migration messages’ said IOM Ghana’s Chief of Mission, Sylvia Lopez-Ekra.

“I’m happy that I came back to my family. I didn’t lose my life during my journey or in Libya. I am finally back home,” said Fuseini, one Ghanaian returnee who received support to open a clothing shop.

One in four migrants returned to Brong Ahafo region, followed by Ashanti (17 per cent), Accra (17 per cent) and Western Region (11 per cent).

For more information, please visit the Delegation of the European Union to Ghana's wesbite and the EU-IOM Joint Initiative's website