Accra – To support the Government of Ghana in establishing the Ghana National Migration Commission (GNMC) and strengthening migration governance, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) took part in the first meeting of the inter-ministerial working group. The newly formed group is tasked to work towards the establishment of the GNMC a key recommendation of the 2016 National Migration Policy for Ghana.

Once established, the GNMC will be the institutional body mandated to coordinate all migration-related interventions in the country, promoting policy coherence at national and local level, humane and orderly migration, and creating the right conditions for migrants to contribute to development.

Inaugurating the working group on behalf of the Minister of the Interior, Chief Director Ms. Adelaide Anno-Kumi noted that the creation of the GNMC is in line with the vision of President Nana Akufo Addo to build a “Ghana Beyond Aid”, and urged members to be innovative in delivering their mandate. “Through the GNMC, Ghana will harness the socio-economic impact of migration for development and address the root causes of irregular migration and associated dangers including trafficking,” said Ms. Anna-Kumi.

On behalf of IOM Ghana Chief of Mission Ms. Sylvia Lopez-Ekra, Project Officer Ms. Benedetta Mangialardo commended the Ministry of the Interior on its leadership and vision. She said: “We see the creation of the GNMC as a critical step to strengthen migration governance in the country and maximise the impact of all the important work and efforts done by different stakeholders.”

In addition to the Ministry of the Interior, the members of the working group include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General, Ghana Immigration Service, Office of the Public Services Commission, National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Centre for Migration Studies, Ghana Statistical Service, and Management Services Division. The establishment of the GNMC is in line with the Global Compact on Migration (GCM), which calls for safe, orderly and regular migration, as well as to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The meeting was funded by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Sub-Fund of the Peace and Development Fund.

Ghana’s National Migration Policy guides the management of the country’s internal, intra-regional and international migration flows, and aims to promote the benefits and minimise the costs of migration. It addresses key migration issues including irregular migration, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, labour migration, diaspora engagement, remittances, return and reintegration of Ghanaian migrants, border management, and refugee issues. It also covers the important linkages between migration and climate change, health, trade, tourism, education and gender.

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For more information, please contact Eric Kwame Akomanyi at IOM Ghana, Tel: +233 302742930, Email: eakomanyi@iom.int