The International Migration Day was celebrated at Nima, a suburb of Accra on Friday to highlight the impact of migration on the community.
The day is observed worldwide to raise awareness about migration and its consequences.
This year, Nima, a cosmopolitan community, was chosen because most of its residents consider migration as a means to survival and often embark on deadly voyages in their quest to reach their destinations.
Mr Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah, the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly joined his colleague from the Ayawaso East Assembly, the International Organisation on Migration (IOM) and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ghana and highlife artist Kofi Kinaata to promote the work of Mohammed Awudu, an indigene who is using arts to raise awareness on migration.
Mr Sowah said Nima was a settlement for people from diverse cultures who co-exist peacefully.
He told the people that Ghana had registered its citizens and foreigners and that the data of the registrants was used for planning purposes.
The AMA boss observed that arts works created a mental picture of events and helped to educate and conscientise the people.
The UN Resident Coordinator, Mr Charles Abani said his outfit was working with stakeholders to help Ghana recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was his view that migration was a positive phenomenon of globalisation and should not be cast in a negative light.
The UN Resident Coordinator asked the government to provide social protection to migrants brought home irrespective of their status.
Mr Abani said the UN was committed to its 2030 pledge to not leave any person behind.
The Chief of Mission, IOM, Abibatu Wei said the choice of Nima was very symbolic.
She said COVID-19 had shown how migrants could be vulnerable and called for intensified education on migration.
Mr Awudu, a co-founder of Ghana Graffiti, underscored the need to address endemic poverty in low-income communities in Ghana.
Mr Awudu, the recipient of the 2020 Ghana Arts and Culture Award who attempted to migrate to Libya in 2003 when he was 17 said the grass was greener here in Ghana.
Today, through art works, Mr Awudu had travelled to the United States of America, Australia and Europe, countries he could only dream about many years ago.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
