Migrants constitute 28.5% of Ghana’s population.

Around 9,240,000 people, or 28.5% of Ghana’s population of 30.8 million (as of the 2021 census), are migrants, according to a research on migration by the Ghana Statistical Service.

According to the study and other sources, migration is defined as a movement through space that frequently involves changing one’s habitual location.

As a result, both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians are included among the migrants being discussed.

Female migrants made up a total of 4,851,000, or 52.5% of all migrants, while male migrants made up the remaining 4,389,000, or 47.5%.

According to the Census, there were 294 341 non-Ghanaian migrants among them in 2021 compared to 398 585 in 2010.

An estimated 39.5% of women and 60.5% of men made up the non-Ghanaian migrants.

According to the research, 2021 Popula­tion and Housing Census Thematic Report on Migration, more immigrants reside in rural areas of the nation than in urban centers, with 33.9 percent of immigrants living in rural areas and 22.2 percent in urban centers.

The Greater Accra region, followed by the Ashanti and Western regions, received the most migrants out of the 16 regions, it was further said.

Professor John K. Anarfi, the report’s lead author, highlighted the study’s conclusions by stating that migration was essential to any country’s development.

He explained that the United Nations had acknowledged the need for governments to include questions eliciting information about migration in their census questionnaires.

According to Prof. Anarfi, six northern regions sent out more migrants than they got, while six southern regions including Greater Accra, Western North, Bono East, Ashanti, and Ahafo received more migrants than they sent out.

Of the six regions, Greater Accra saw the greatest population growth, adding over a million people. Ashanti saw an increase of over 200,000, and Western Northern saw an increase of over 50,000, he added.

According to Prof. Anarfi, although being in the south, the Central and Eastern regions have negative net migration, or a loss of people from rural areas, which has an impact on the level of output and development of rural areas.

The majority of non-Ghanaian migrants, according to the report’s lead author, came from Niger, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Togo.

According to him, the majority of non-Ghanaian migrants worked in sales, services, skilled agriculture, forestry, and fisheries.

According to Prof. Anarfi, the majority of Ghanaians are young, and the government must implement plans to give young people access to training and employment opportunities so that the nation can benefit from the demographic dividend.

Among the causes of migration cited by the lead author were marriage, family reunification, and work.

He also demanded that a thorough research be conducted to evaluate the country’s migration status, noting that the most recent in-depth migration study was completed in 1995.

Professor Samuel K. Annim, the government statistician, stated in his remarks that the migration report was the 17th that the GSS has produced from the 2021 Population and Housing Census.

He explained that the study would aid in gathering information on migration for the planning of policy.

Professor Annim emphasized the importance of incorporating statistical goals into governmental policy in order to hasten the socioeconomic growth of the nation.

The program’s chair, Mrs. Adelaide Anno-Kumi, chief director of the ministry of the interior, stated that the report will, among other things, help offer statistics on place of birth, literacy status, educational achievement, employment, and living situations of migrants.