The Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak has disclosed that the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) removed thousands of migrant beggars and other illegal immigrants from the country in 2025 and the first half of 2026 as part of efforts to curb irregular migration and associated unlawful activities.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, August 24, 2026, the minister said that by the end of 2025 the GIS had removed 2,281 migrant beggars from the streets and 774 other illegal immigrants involved in transnational organised crime.
“By July 2026, officials had removed a further 960 migrant beggars from the streets of Accra and Kumasi, along with 186 additional illegal immigrants,” he said.
Muntaka stressed that the operations are being conducted with full awareness of Ghana’s obligations under the ECOWAS Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, as well as the country’s long-standing diplomatic relations and ties with other nations.
“Our objective is to reduce irregular migration and unlawful activities associated with it to the barest minimum, while ensuring that enforcement actions are lawful and undertaken by the appropriate authorities and carried out in a manner that is respectful of human dignity,” he said.
The minister rejected any suggestion that the challenge stems from a lack of political will, security intelligence, or leadership. Instead, he identified scale as the principal constraint.
“I can assure the public that there is a high-level consensus with earmarked logistical support to increase the scale of the removals and strengthen our borders. Evidence of that will soon be apparent,” he stated.
He added that Ghana would continue to uphold its tradition of hospitality while protecting public order and national security.
The disclosures come amid ongoing public concern over the visible presence of migrant beggars in major urban centres and reports of networks linked to exploitation and organised crime.
The government has previously conducted large-scale operations targeting street begging rings, with earlier exercises in 2025 also resulting in the repatriation of thousands of foreign nationals.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
