GIS embarks on special operation to evacuate illegal migrants and street children in Accra

Veritasnewsgh7 hours ago

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Accra – Friday 16th May 2025

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has launched a special operation in the Kaneshie and Abossey Okai areas of Accra to remove undocumented migrants, street children, and their guardians from key public spaces. The operation began in the early hours of Friday, May 16, 2025.

This mass evacuation forms part of broader efforts by the GIS to curb irregular migration, enhance public safety in high-traffic urban zones, and deter individuals waiting at Ghana’s borders from entering the country illegally for commercial or other activities.

The swoop, led solely by officers of the Ghana Immigration Service, covered major locations including Sakamann, Ritz Junction, Shangrilla, Spanner, Madina Junction, Adenta, Atomic, Okponglo, Dzorwulu, Achimota, Lapaz, Kwashieman, Awoshie, Nima Junction, Paloma, Circle Industrial Area, Kasoa, Weija, Obetsebi Lamptey, Adabraka, and Oblogo.

According to the Head of Public Affairs at the GIS, Superintendent Michael Amoako-Atta, all individuals apprehended during the operation will undergo thorough medical screening at the GIS Clinic, followed by detailed profiling.

“The profiling data will be shared with border entry points across the country to prevent re-entry,” he explained.

Following the screening, individuals found to have criminal records will be arrested, while the remaining undocumented migrants will be repatriated by bus to their respective countries of origin.

Supt. Amoako-Atta added that the GIS has engaged with several embassies to ensure a peaceful and coordinated process. The embassies, he noted, agreed that their undocumented nationals should be repatriated in order to support Ghana’s efforts to create a safe and orderly environment for the public.

“This operation is not only about enforcing immigration laws,” he said, “but also about ensuring that public spaces are free of unlawful activity, particularly street begging and other informal practices that pose safety and security challenges.”

The GIS reiterated its commitment to maintaining the integrity of Ghana’s borders and safeguarding the well-being of both citizens and legal residents.

The Ghana Immigration Service has urged the public to support the initiative, emphasizing that it is part of a national strategy to promote orderly migration, protect vulnerable populations, and improve urban security.