Muntaka reveals 2,281 beggars, 774 illegal immigrants were removed in 2025

BY; Regina Bless

Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak Mohammed has disclosed that Ghana removed 2,281 migrant beggars and 774 other illegal immigrants linked to transnational organised crime in 2025.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, August 24, 2026, Muntaka said the Ghana Immigration Service had intensified efforts to tackle irregular migration and unlawful activities involving foreign nationals.

He said the enforcement exercise had continued in 2026, with 960 migrant beggars removed from the streets of Accra and Kumasi, alongside 186 other illegal immigrants as of July.

According to the minister, the government was carrying out the removals while respecting Ghana’s obligations under the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, as well as the country’s diplomatic relations and longstanding ties with other nations.

Muntaka stressed that the government’s goal was to minimise irregular migration and related unlawful activities while ensuring that enforcement measures remained lawful and respected human dignity.

He identified operational skills and capacity as the major challenge confronting Ghana’s efforts to address irregular migration, rather than a lack of political will, intelligence, security or leadership.

He added that additional logistical support would help strengthen the relevant institutions and increase the scale of removals.

Muntaka assured the public that Ghana would continue to uphold its tradition of hospitality while firmly enforcing the rule of law, protecting national security and maintaining public order.