The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has intensified its operations against exploitative migrant street begging networks in the Ashanti Region, rescuing hundreds of undocumented individuals in a major intelligence-led exercise.
According to a press release issued on April 21, 2026, the operation was carried out in the early hours of Tuesday across key locations in Kumasi, including Asawase, Alabar, Akwatia Line, Dagomba Line, Sabon Zongo, and Aboabo. The exercise, which began around 3:30 a.m., targeted identified hotspots linked to organised street begging activities.
In total, 606 individuals were rounded up, comprising 381 children, 72 females, and 153 males. The Service indicated that many of those rescued are believed to be victims of human trafficking and forced begging syndicates.
The operation forms part of a broader nationwide campaign by GIS to combat the growing threat posed by organised street begging networks and to protect vulnerable persons from exploitation.
In a related development, the Service disclosed that a similar exercise conducted on April 15, 2026, in parts of the Greater Accra Region—including Abossey Okai, Zongo Junction, Nima, Madina, and Kaneshie—led to the safe repatriation of 356 West African nationals to their respective countries, namely Niger, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso.
GIS emphasised that these interventions are in line with the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol, stressing that the operations are not targeted at legitimate regional mobility but rather at criminal exploitation and irregular migration practices.
The Service also revealed that, in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission in Accra, 89 Nigerian nationals were assisted to regularise their documentation and handed over to relevant anti-human trafficking authorities in Nigeria.
Additionally, GIS has engaged various African diplomatic missions in Accra to ensure coordinated and humane interventions, particularly aimed at protecting children and other vulnerable individuals.
The Controller-General of Immigration, Samuel Basintale Amadu, reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to safeguarding Ghana’s borders while enforcing immigration laws.
“The Ghana Immigration Service remains resolute in safeguarding Ghana’s borders and enforcing immigration laws, while upholding our obligations under the ECOWAS Protocol. We will continue to strike a balance between regional integration and decisive action against trafficking and exploitation,” he stated.
The Service further reminded the public that the Beggars and Destitute Act, 1969 (NLCD 392), prohibits street begging by both citizens and non-citizens, with offenders liable to fines, imprisonment of up to three months, or both.
Members of the public have been encouraged to report suspicious activities involving foreign nationals to the nearest GIS office.
The statement, signed by Deputy Commissioner of Immigration Maud Anima Quainoo, reiterated the Service’s commitment to tackling human trafficking and ensuring the protection of vulnerable populations across the country.
