Samira Bawumia
SECOND LADY, Samira Bawumia has called for an attitudinal change amongst the youth in Ghana and across West Africa towards illegal migration to Europe and other parts of the world in search of greener pastures.
Delivering a keynote address at a roundtable discussion held by the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) on Tuesday at the British Council in Accra under the theme: “Opportunities And Challenges Of African Youth Migration, The Untold Stories,” the Second Lady underscored that a paradigm shift was required in addressing the menace of irregular migration.
According to her, “A rise in attitudinal change is what we truly need; a paradigm shift, where we believe that success can also be achieved within our own home.”
She urged young Ghanaians and Africans, for that matter, to start showing interest in the development of their countries and making contributions towards same.
She stressed that “Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow. They are the leaders of today. You are both your nation’s present and the future. It’s important that as citizens, and especially you, you start getting involved in nation-building.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my hope that you will leave here and start to do great things for yourselves and nation,” the Second Lady emphasized.
Brain drain, she said, is one of the adverse effects of international migration since it deprives communities of origin of the socio-economic contributions of the educated and highly skilled citizens.
“This negative impact of brain drain is particularly evident in the health and education sectors of developing countries,” she said.
Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Mr Kwame Asuah Takyi, in a statement read on his behalf indicated that in 2016, voluntary returnees from Libya through the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) were 3,117 whilst in 2017 the number stood at 4,525.
He said there were three main routes for illegal migration from the country namely Ghana-Niger-Libya route; Ghana-Gulf States route including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait; and the Ghana-Caribbean, Brazil, Panama, USA route.
The Comptroller-General complained that African leaders have failed to listen to the seriousness of youth migration to Europe and other places around the world mostly through the Mediterranean, saying “we have spoken but no one has listened.”
Present at the event were tertiary and secondary students from the University of Ghana, Pentecost University College, Accra Academy and University of Education, Winneba.
Caption: Mrs. Bawumia standing alongside Italian Ambassador to Ghana, Giovanni Faville; (left), Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Charles Owiredu (second left) Deputy Minister of The Interior, Henry Quartey (right) and Nana Appiagyei Dankawoso I, president, Ghana & Pan Africa Chambers of Commerce, at the event as the national anthem was being played.
BY Melvin Tarlue