GIS operations target illegal migrants and street dwellers in Accra

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has launched a national operation to deal with undocumented migrants living in major cities, especially in Accra. The operation began early on Friday, May 16, 2025, and is part of GIS’s efforts to enforce immigration laws and boost national security.

A press statement by the Head of Public Affairs, Assistant Commissioner of Immigration M. Amoako-Atta, confirmed that this operation is one of several activities aimed at ensuring all foreign nationals in Ghana are legally permitted to stay.

“We are currently assessing the outcomes of the operation and will provide further details to the public in due course,” the statement said.

Although GIS has not yet shared the specific areas targeted or how many people were affected, internal sources suggest that the operation involved help from other security services. The crackdown is believed to be in response to increasing numbers of undocumented migrants engaging in unregulated and possibly harmful activities in busy urban areas.

The GIS has asked the public to remain calm and work with the authorities during the process. Assistant Commissioner Amoako-Atta gave reassurance that legal residents with the right documents have nothing to worry about.“Our aim is to sanitise the system, not to victimise law-abiding residents,” he said.

As part of the exercise, GIS officers conducted a targeted operation in Accra’s Kaneshie and Abossey Okai areas. This action focused on removing street children and their adult guardians, many of whom are believed to be non-Ghanaian. Officers were seen speaking with individuals and escorting them away from crowded sidewalks and traffic junctions.

Officials said the goal was to reduce overcrowding, promote public safety, stop child exploitation, and track down individuals staying in the country illegally.

The operation followed concerns raised by Dr. Ernestina Tetteh, Convener of the Coalition for Street-Connected Children Organisation (CSCCO). Speaking on Citi FM on May 8, she said the rise in street children—especially from neighbouring countries like Chad and Niger may be part of a larger, organised network.

“Statistics are hard to come by; we only know that the numbers are growing by the day. They usually come from Chad, Niger. This has been with us since I was a child, what we used to call ‘salaka’. But the issue has become worse than before,” she said.