About 38 persons alleged to be migrants from Niger were yesterday rounded up at Abofu in Achimota, Accra by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).
All women, with some carrying children, the migrants were rounded up during a decongestion exercise in Accra organised by the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and led by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey.
They were picked up around 11 a.m. by the GIS to its headquarters for further investigations.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly (ONMA), NiiBoyeLaryea, told the media that he was informed about the arrival of the migrants by residents around 6a.m yesterday.
He said the alleged migrants were said to have been dropped by a bus around 11 p.m. on Monday with the whereabouts of the bus yet to be known.
Mr Laryea noted that intelligence found out that the migrants were making a transit from Niger to Cote d’ Ivoire and other places.
The MCE said he then informed the Regional Minister and the GISabout the incident while the Assembly’s task force assessed the situation.
The Regional Minister, for his part, stressed the need to treat the issue fairly as Ghana was part of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) and had signed on to its protocols.
MrQuarteyemphasised that there would be collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Gender and Social Protection and the GIS to ensure that the migrants went through the due process and were offered the needed assistance.
The leader of the migrants, MrsMadinaYagoudaNeanti, said they meant no harm as they were heading towards Cote d’ Ivoire only to be dropped at the location by the driver of the bus who was conveying them.
She said that they only needed another vehicle to convey them to their destination but the language barrier had been a challenge as they could not communicate effectively with the driver of the bus that brought them to the Abofulocation.
BY ABIGAIL ARTHUR
