Africa-Press – Ghana. A migration expert has called on Ghana and other developing countries not to treat migration and remittances as substitutes for domestic development.
Mr Festus Owooson, the Immigration and Operations Manager at Globetrotters Legal Africa, warned that overreliance on migration and remittances could undermine long-term economic transformation.
He was speaking at a meeting organised by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Ghana in Accra on the theme: “Migration as Development Policy,” which examined whether remittances and mobility could drive sustainable development.
Mr Owooson said while migration was an inevitable part of human history and could contribute to development, it should be approached as an outcome of development rather than a strategy to replace it.
“Migration may accompany development and reflect it, but it cannot replace it,” Mr Owooson said, urging governments to focus on productive transformation at home instead of depending largely on remittance inflows.
Mr Festus Owooson, Immigration and Operations Manager, Globetrotters Legal AfricaHe noted that global migration continued to rise despite tighter border controls, conflicts and economic uncertainty, with millions of people risking dangerous routes in pursuit of better opportunities.
He argued that although remittances eased household pressures and supported consumption, they were not a sustainable solution to unemployment and structural economic challenges.
Mr Owooson said Ghana could not “wholly rely on remittances” and must reframe them as a form of development finance that complements, but does not substitute, domestic investment, job creation and skills development.”
He also drew attention to the loss of skills in critical sectors through migration, calling for policies that promoted return and circular migration to allow migrants to contribute skills and experience back home.
“Labour mobility can reduce short-term pressure on governments, but it is not the solution. The real solution lies in strong policies, capacity building and inclusive development,” he said.
Mrs Anna Wasserfall, Country Representative of KAS Ghana, said the meeting formed part of the foundation’s “Ma Yen Nkasa – Let’s Talk” dialogue series, which promoted open and balanced discussions on public policy issues.
The discussion built on an earlier engagement on return migration and reintegration, reflecting growing public interest in how migration intersected with development outcomes.
Mrs Wasserfall said migration could generate opportunities through skills transfer, financial flows and global networks, but also carried risks that required honest assessment and sound policy choices.
“Our aim is not to arrive at a single narrative, but to explore the opportunities and trade-offs, the chances and the risks, and the policy implications of migration in a balanced way,” she said.
The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is a German political foundation affiliated with the Christian Democratic Union.
In Ghana, it supports policy dialogue, democratic governance, civic education and research on socio-economic and political development issues.
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