Ghana has deported 68 foreign nationals from the Ashanti Region following court rulings linked to organized crime, prostitution, and other offences, reflecting the growing tension between border security and Africa’s long-stated ambition of freer movement.
The deportees include 42 Nigerians, 13 Cameroonians, seven Beninese, three Ivorians, and three Burkinabe nationals. The operation was carried out by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) after the conclusion of legal processes, according to Ashanti Regional Minister Frank Amoakohene.
In a statement published on his Facebook page, Amoakohene praised the GIS for what he described as “professionalism, diligence, and firm commitment to enforcing our immigration laws,” while stressing that due process and human dignity were observed throughout the exercise.
He added that cooperation between immigration officers, the courts, and other security agencies was critical to maintaining public safety and protecting vulnerable persons in the region.
While Ghanaian authorities did not provide a detailed breakdown of individual cases, officials confirmed that the deportations followed convictions and court orders related to Q-Net-linked fraud, prostitution rings, and other criminal activities.
The Ashanti Regional Minister Frank Amoakohene, said the operation was carried out by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) after the conclusion of legal processes
Weak borders, strong consequences
The Ashanti deportations reflect a broader African dilemma: the gap between aspirations for open borders and the realities of weak enforcement and rising transnational crime.
Although frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area and the African Union’s free movement protocols aim to ease cross-border mobility, many countries remain unable to fully implement them.
Criminal networks, human trafficking rings, and migration-related fraud have increasingly exploited porous borders, making governments more cautious about liberal entry policies. As a result, security concerns often override integration goals.
Libya offers a stark example. In recent months, authorities there have intensified mass deportations of undocumented migrants, many of whom are Africans using the country as a transit route to Europe.
These actions highlight how instability, limited regional coordination, and criminal exploitation of migration routes have pushed states toward restrictive, enforcement-heavy approaches.
For countries like Ghana, the challenge lies in balancing regional solidarity with domestic security. While deportations are framed as lawful responses to criminality, they also expose how fragile border governance has become across the continent.
SOURCE: africa.businessinsider.com