Rushing for the Shadowlands by Ghanaians

: Is it Brain Drain or Brain Gain?

The grim struggle by Ghanaians for survival outside the country remains a pertinent subject in the spotlight of the media both locally and internationally with even the dissatisfaction of many people on the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between Ghana and the Gambia over the killing of 44 Ghanaians in 2005 now surprisingly recorded as 6 Ghanaians.

The second half of the twentieth century has been called €˜the age of migration€™, given the unprecedented number of people who have moved to another country (Toro-Morn and Alicia, 2004). The mass exodus of Ghanaians to other countries in search of jobs or a new life has taken a new shape and therefore needs urgent redress to the problem especially with the illegal migrants who are easily annihilated in the deserts and the Mediterranean Sea. This gives a clear indication that indeed the uphill task lies ahead for Ghana as regards maintaining her vital human resource base. Studies reveal that people who migrate are highly organized and travel well-worn paths. This point toward the fact that the migration of the Ghanaian youth to North Africa and proceeding to Europe is never involuntary but a well planned journey to seek better life elsewhere. Without regarding the risks ahead of their journeys, the disenchanted youth, without much hope for employment and better life are prepared to face imprisonment in foreign countries and even death than to live in an economy that serves to be unsupportive to the plights of the chronically poor but rather full of politics that virtually benefit only the few.

Setting the Agenda

In Ghana, the widespread inequality, deepening poverty and the liberation of markets have been the contributing factors behind the massive levels of migration of the youth. Former UNCTAD Secretary General Rubens Ricupero said that €˜migration is the missing link between globalization and development€™. This gives a clear indication that migration issues as regard its implications needs to be given the utmost priority in the development discourse of the country in trying to secure the best results from globalization. The needed attention and due consideration should be given to the way and manner this dreadful act is gaining grounds in Ghana. It is important of note that the root cause of the problem of migration craze among the youth is neither the inefficient border control measures nor the inefficient operation of the Ghana Immigration Service. Recently, the GIS located the transport terminals of the immigrants in mostly Brong Ahafo Region (Nkoranza, Dormaa Ahenkro) and Mankessim. Certainly, this is not the pragmatic measure to curtail this canker. The economy has not created adequate avenues to absorb the discontented youth into employments that would accelerate the well known development efforts of this country. This has rendered the economy to be unattractive to the migrants and especially the already limited skilled labour force pushing them to seek presumably better alternatives to have at least a respected livelihood. It is in this regard that drives one to accept the problematic concept of €˜Rushing for the shadowlands€™ where the country is losing considerable number of its people to other countries whether in good or bad conditions. All is not bed of roses for the migrants who desire to seek better life in certain countries especially the route through the Mediterranean. Reports indicate that 22 Ghanaians are languishing in a Maximum Security Prison at Arouca in Trinidad and Tobago. It was alleged that though they have not been charged with any offence, they are being kept behind bars illegally for years, while prison officials prevent them from seeking legal counsel (ModernGhana.com 17-04 2009). Another case have been the Vice President John Mahama€™s effort to appeal to the Leader Muammar Al-Qathafi to have clemency a Ghanaian in jail in the north African country for attempting to spread Christianity which resulted in the release of the Ghanaian. This sends a clear signal that all is not well with our people who live in other countries. Believe it or not, a lot of Ghanaians are dying so cheaply in diverse places simply because of the idea of seeking better life elsewhere. This is supposed to be the interest that should lie at the heart of our government and politicians but not cheaply amassing the wealth of the ordinary poor for their selfish gain.

Is Remittances off-setting the cost of Brain Drain?

Basically, it is difficult to regard the migration (both legal and illegal) of Ghanaians to seeking better life elsewhere as incongruous with the mushrooming of the significance of remittances. This has also presented some challenges for various governments in devising appropriate strategies to clamp down this development. Migration has been a matter of concern to many developing countries that lose a significant proportion of their already limited skilled labour force to the developed countries and therefore consider it as brain drain. According to the International Labour Organization, the significance of remittances for international development finance and income distribution which has mushroomed as global remittances have grown to US$167-250 billion annually (ILO,2006: GFMR, 2007 cited in Development (celebrating 50 years); migration and development by Society for Internal Development, Dec, 2007). The importance of remittances to a lot of people in Ghana can be described to have made a case for our youth leaving the shores of this country. Supposedly, funds as resources from remittances that go to the poor are directed towards basic human security needs such as food, education, housing and the development of small businesses and microenterprises. Studies also reveal that remittances go toward community needs such as schools and health clinics and have been a prominent factor of poverty reduction in most developing countries. The fact that countless Ghanaians have benefited and is benefiting from money sent down to the country by relatives and friends (remittances) means that the significance of migration cannot be overemphasized. It has been of help to the poverty reduction efforts of the government in redistributing the benefits of growth to the ordinary Ghanaian.

The other side of the issue can be seen in the attitude of destination countries which are mostly the developed countries. Many countries seeing the considerable contributions of migrants especially Ghanaians to their economies has failed to express much concern. Concern in any form arises from the illegal migrants that use the route through the Mediterranean to these destination countries. Ghanaians who lived and worked in Germany over the years have been lauded for their contribution to the socio-economic development of Germany, statement by German Minister for Intergenerational Affairs, Family, Women and Integration, North Rhine Westphalia, Hon. Armin Laschet (Public Agenda, June 15, 2009). The upwelling concerns with regard to the enormous contributions of Ghanaians to the growth of the economies of destination or developed countries means it is imperative for the government to accept the onus of making the economy attractive. This will serve to keep the already limited labour force for any significant development to occur.

Conclusion

The question still lingers on €œIs migration brain drain or brain gain?€ The issues surrounding migration is really crucial for the development of this country. With the easy annihilation of the youth in the Mediterranean Sea and loss of already limited skilled labour to developed countries, it is incumbent upon all Ghanaians and not solely the government to educate those concerned with enthusiastically ready to risk their life at attempting to seek better life elsewhere. It is also the responsibility of the government to protect its human resource base lest the worst happens where the economy will be left with aged population.

The author, Stephen Yeboah is in Department of Planning, KNUST- Kumasi Email: [email protected]