The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has launched a special operation targeting street children and their guardians—many suspected to be foreign nationals—in Accra’s busy commercial areas of Kaneshie and Abossey Okai.
The operation, conducted in the early hours of Friday, May 16, saw teams of immigration officers rounding up dozens of women and children who regularly beg for alms at intersections and along sidewalks. The individuals were approached, interviewed, and escorted into immigration vehicles as part of efforts to decongest the streets and enforce immigration laws.
Authorities say the exercise is part of a broader nationwide initiative aimed at enhancing public safety, addressing child exploitation, and curbing the growing number of undocumented migrants living and working on the streets of major cities.
“The increasing presence of street dwellers, particularly minors of foreign origin, poses a serious social and security challenge,” said a GIS spokesperson. “This operation is necessary to identify undocumented individuals and ensure immigration compliance.”
The crackdown comes amid growing concern over the surge in street-connected children in Accra and other urban centres. On May 8, Dr. Ernestina Tetteh, Convener of the Coalition for Street-Connected Children Organisation (CSCCO), raised alarm about the increasingly organised nature of child streetism in Ghana, particularly involving children trafficked or brought in from neighbouring countries.
She described the trend as a “ticking time bomb” and called for urgent, coordinated action by the government and civil society to protect vulnerable children and address cross-border child mobility.
The Immigration Service has not disclosed the number of individuals detained or whether any immediate deportations are planned.
However, officials noted that screening and investigations will continue to determine the legal status of those apprehended.
The operation is expected to expand to other parts of Accra and urban centres in the coming weeks as part of the government’s broader urban management and migration control strategy.
