Ghana’s efforts to curb the use of unapproved entry routes could face limited success unless authorities address the cost, documentation and governance challenges that discourage some West African migrants from using official border posts, a study has found.
Research on West African itinerant immigrant retailers operating in Ghana indicates that difficulties obtaining travel documents, financial constraints and reported experiences of harassment and informal payment demands at some official crossing points are influencing migrants’ choice of routes.
The study, titled “Cross-Border Migration of Itinerant Immigrant Retailers in Ghana,” was conducted by Professor Elijah Yendaw of the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), Wa.
Its findings form part of a policy brief titled “Free Movement, Unapproved Routes: Closing Ghana’s Documentation, Trust and Border-Governance Gaps for West African Itinerant Traders.”
The research, conducted in the Accra Metropolis using a concurrent nested mixed-methods approach, surveyed 779 West African itinerant immigrant retailers.
It found that 58.2 per cent of respondents entered Ghana through unapproved routes, compared with 41.8 per cent who used approved entry points.
All respondents travelled by land, with 71.9 per cent using buses or other vehicles, while 28.1 per cent travelled on foot.
Documentation emerges as key factor
The study established a strong relationship between possession of travel documents and the choice of entry route.
It found that all respondents who said the absence of travel documents influenced their decision to use a particular route entered Ghana through unapproved routes.
Conversely, 98.4 per cent of respondents who had travel documents used approved entry points.
The researchers therefore described documentation as an important tool for managing migration and called for measures to make legitimate travel identification easier for migrants to obtain.
The report argued that simplifying access to the required documents could encourage more travellers to use official crossing points.
Cost and alleged informal payments
Financial difficulties were also identified as a significant factor.
According to the study, 95.8 per cent of respondents who reported difficulties financing their journeys used unapproved routes.
The research also captured allegations from participants of harassment and demands for informal payments at some official border crossings.
The researchers, however, cautioned that the allegations were reports from research participants and were not independently verified prevalence estimates of misconduct.
Despite this limitation, the study argued that Ghana’s response should focus not only on increasing surveillance but also on improving trust and accountability at official border points.
“A stronger policy response is, therefore, not simply more border control; it is better border governance,” the policy brief stated.
Six measures proposed
The researchers proposed six policy measures to make regular migration more accessible and attractive.
These include making approved routes easier to use, expanding access to travel documentation and pre-travel information, and establishing credible mechanisms for reporting and addressing alleged extortion.
The study also recommended using corridor-specific evidence to strengthen surveillance, developing reliable databases on itinerant immigrant traders and border movements, and involving migrant associations and border communities in border governance.
It said travellers should receive clear information on required documents, legitimate charges, expected processing times and where to seek assistance at border posts.
The report further recommended using consulates, transport unions and immigrant associations to disseminate information on documentation requirements and ECOWAS mobility rights and responsibilities.
Such information, it said, should be communicated in commonly used regional languages through radio, transport terminals, visual materials and community leaders.
Border communities urged to play greater role
The researchers also called for a shift in how border communities are viewed, arguing that they should be treated as partners in managing migration rather than solely as areas requiring surveillance.
According to the study, greater community involvement could support route mapping, information campaigns and the early identification of emerging migration patterns.
The findings ultimately suggest that making official border crossings more accessible, affordable and trustworthy could be as important as strengthening enforcement in reducing the reliance of West African traders on unapproved routes.
