GHANA

As a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ghana implements the 1979 Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, which stipulates the right of ECOWAS citizens to enter, reside and establish economic activities in the territory of other Member States. Being a country of origin, transit and destination for migration flow, the migration dynamics of Ghana are complex. Prevalent trends in recent years have included a high number of Ghanaian youth irregularly migrating to Europe and the Middle East and increased attention to policies that aim to harness the benefits of migration, including through the engagement of the Ghanaian–and, more broadly, African–diaspora. Ghana is one of the largest recipients of remittances in sub-Saharan Africa–essential income for ordinary citizens spent predominantly on food, health, and education. Internal rural-urban migration, including women migrants, is increasingly common, largely motivated by economic reasons.