Migration is an integral part of human life which has been
going on from time immemorial. Migration happens in many ways; it could be
legal or illegal. It is considered legal in Ghana when a migrant has valid traveling documents and practice what section 10 – subsection 1 of the Ghana immigration Act, 2000 (573) says. That is; appearing before an immigration officer at the
immigration post, at an approved place of departure. Due to the hectic process in
procuring a genuine document as some say, others end up using inappropriate means.
This bad act introduced what I call the “Connection Man” syndrome,
which fetches perpetrators huge sums of money. Research shows that, most
migrants who smuggle themselves and travel across borders, often settle in
countries like Kuwait, Qatar, and other Gulf States in search of better
economic opportunities. But the question is; is it always easy as perceived and
viewed from afar?
Migrant smuggling does not only lead to death but also
undermines the integrity of a country’s document, wasting the little resources
which could have been used to reap dividends, to rescue lives. Some migrant
smugglers especially girls; upon arrival find themselves being victims of Human
trafficking, facing exploitation and abuse. This means, migrant smuggling and
trafficking are organized crime.
According to Chief Superintendent
Kwaku Mawusi of Ghana Police Service,
at a capacity building workshop to combat the crime, migrant smuggling is
becoming an issue of worry because; most security officers fail to reflect on
their daily activities and where they fall short. He expressed disappointment in
Police officers who lose their cases in court.
Personally, I think we need to intensify our awareness
creation and reach out more people. Modernizing border equipments and effective
border patrol will be of great help. It is not Government’s role only; as
citizens, we need to call for a security officers’ assistance when preparing traveling documents and also use appropriate means of procuring documents. Together
we can fight this crime.
Stay Tuned For More!
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