About 3 Million Ghanaians Live Abroad

EU's (European Union) profile of Ghana estimates that about 3million Ghanaians live abroad. One-third of the figure are thought to be in Europe or North America. The Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Arie Van Der Wiel made these known in Accra at the Conference on “Migration and Development in Ghana.”

According to the Ambassador, many Ghanaian migrants find their way to their final destinations illegally and are therefore vulnerable to exploitation by migrant traffickers and some employers. He said it is the responsibility of governments of migrant origin and recipient countries to institute measures to address the problem of illegal migration.

Mr Van Der Wiel commended the initiative of the government of Ghana to set up a new unit within the Criminal Investigations Department to combat visa fraud. He also observed that as a result of the apparent high transaction cost involved in sending money from abroad, many migrants are tempted to resort to informal channels to remit their relatives. The Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana therefore appealed to Banks in the country to take steps to address the problem.