Migration & Development

Although Ghana is the second largest recipient of remittances in Sub-Saharan Africa, there is general consensus that more could be done to strengthen remittance flows and increase their impact on national development. In addition, many migrants, notably those in the informal sector, continue to suffer from exploitative labour practices making it difficult for them to attain their migration aspirations and participate in national development.  

Policy coherence needs to be strengthened to ensure that migration is mainstreamed into development-related policy and interventions to not only improve remittance flows and diaspora engagement but also to ensure that migrants working in Ghana are empowered through fair and just labour practices.  

As recommended in the National Migration Policy, IOM Ghana supports the Government of Ghana in the establishment of an overarching mechanism to improve policy cohesiveness in the migration/development space, while also supporting efforts to: enhance diaspora engagement; leverage remittances for development; and strengthen labour migration governance by ensuring development of safe, ethical and beneficial labour migration policies. 

Key actions include: 

• Increase provision of support to the government to establish a fully functional Ghana National Commission on Migration to oversee migration governance in the country. 
• Adopt and implement the draft National Diaspora Engagement Policy. 
• Enhance partnerships between financial institutions, private sector and other stakeholders to meaningfully leverage remittances for financial inclusion, savings and investment. 
• Increase promotion of diaspora engagement to mobilize migrant workers for socio-economic development, facilitate their integration in host countries and their development linkages with Ghana, including when possible those related to the green economy and nature-based solutions. 
• Improve capacity amongst national stakeholders to implement the National Labour Migration Policy, thereby contributing towards the realization of fair and ethical recruitment practices, protection of migrant workers and regional dialogue on labour migration. 
• Increase promotion of brain gain through, amongst other means, diaspora engagement, regional and bilateral dialogues to facilitate the circulation of skills and knowledge and transnational scientific, technological, entrepreneurial and business linkages.