A menace worth highlighting — Undocumented foreigners

Preamble: Recent operations by the Ghana Immigra­tion Service to clear undocumented indi­viduals from parts of Accra are a necessary, if overdue, step. However, these large-scale actions often attract criticism from human rights organisations, partly because of the optics involved when large numbers of “vulner­able” people are rounded up and some of these individuals, over time, form attachments with­in communities. Human rights agencies also subjectively notice the separation of families that can happen during these raids and major on them in their report­age. They usually never notice when the problems are occurring but notice when action is being taken to resolve them. A proactive approach, targeting the problem before it festers and becomes a widespread security concern, is far more effective and less disruptive. This article speaks to this clear and present menace.

It is important for me to state that this article is intentionally focused on highlighting a specific and pressing problem. If the tone herein feels stark or disorient­ing, it is a direct reflection of my attempt to underscore the urgency and gravity of the issue at hand. This emphasis is not intended to negate the cherished reality that Ghana is, on the whole, a serene and welcoming country, enjoyed by its citizens and many law-abiding foreigners alike.

The unseen threat: How

faceless foreigners are

undermining Ghanaian

society

Ghana, a nation renowned for its hospitality, is now grappling with an insidious threat to its national security, social fabric, and econom­ic stability. In my view, a worrying trend involves individuals, primarily from other African nations, who exploit our porous borders to enter undetected. They then often engage in seemingly innocuous me­nial work, gradually accumulating resources and a veneer of legiti­macy, all while operating outside our laws. Some, as this piece will illustrate, are not merely hardwork­ing individuals seeking a better life but elements whose intent is to circumvent our systems and, in some cases, engage in criminal enterprises that disrupt our way of life, including the rising scourge of car-jacking.

This article highlights two repre­sentative figures, Njiala (alias Kofi Dokoduku) and an unnamed street youth, who exemplify the alarm­ing pathways through which such individuals infiltrate and exploit Ghanaian society.

Njiala, a resourceful man from the fictional country of Kambizi, slipped into Ghana via an unap­proved route, settling in a village near the border. He quickly mas­tered the local dialect and Pidgin English, endearing himself to the unsuspecting community. But Njiala understood that true cover required a Ghanaian identity. Thus, he became “Kofi Dokoduku,” a name designed to blend seamlessly into the local tapestry.

As Kofi Dokoduku, he shed the immediate suspicion attached to a foreigner. He established a family with a local woman and, through traditional overtures to the chief (presenting drinks and promising a share of proceeds), acquired a two-acre farmland. This new identity was his passport to acceptance, transforming him into a seemingly respected villager. Yet, this “respect” was built on a foundation of deceit, bypassing all legal immigration and settlement protocols.

Meanwhile, in the bustling streets of Accra, a 7-year-old boy, also from Kambizi, embarked on a different but equally concerning journey. Starting as a seemingly harmless beggar, he learned to navigate the city’s underbelly. This path was fraught with hardship but also ripe with illicit opportunities. He eventually graduated from begging to join a gang involved in residential robberies. The wealth accrued from these criminal activities, coupled with his fluency in local languages and cultural nu­ances, allowed him to melt into the urban landscape. He, too, started a family with a Ghanaian woman and acquired property, his crimi­nal origins masked by a facade of normalcy.

The striking parallel between these two individuals is their success in achieving a deceptive legitimacy. Njiala, through cunning and exploitation of local customs, became an integrated rural figure. The beggar, through street smarts and criminality, became an unre­markable fixture in the city. Both, however, represent a grave threat, not just as individuals operating illegally, but as potential anchors for further illicit networks.

More alarmingly, once “legiti­mised,” both Njiala and the former beggar became conduits, providing safe havens and an orientation for new arrivals from their home country. They offered temporary lodging, language immersion, and a primer on navigating Ghanaian society – outside the purview of the law. This clandestine network of faceless individuals, steadily growing in the shadows, poses a direct and escalating challenge to Ghana’s security and societal norms. I believe we are witnessing the symptoms in rising crime rates and a general disregard for orderly processes. For instance, it was re­cently publicised by BuzStopBoyz, a proactive private sanitation group that some unscrupulous individuals had broken parts of the concrete structure of a road merely to re­move and sell the iron rods (rebar). While I don’t have hard facts to definitively link this specific act, it is easier to associate such desper­ate destruction of public property with individuals who lack any social support system or stake in Ghana. Undocumented immigrants, devoid of legal standing and support, regrettably feature in such consid­erations of desperate acts.

It is my firm conviction that Ghana can only truly develop when its local assemblies are up and doing. The effectiveness of the solutions to the issues I’ve raised falls squarely at the doorstep of our district, municipal, and metropolitan assemblies. With any reduction in the number of nation­al ministries, the opportunity to serve as an Assembly Member or a District/Municipal/Metropolitan Chief Executive must be seen as an even rarer privilege and a profound responsibility to safeguard our communities.

The security agencies, the Social Welfare department, and these vital local government authorities must, in my opinion, be on high alert to dismantle these networks and prevent the entrenchment of individuals with criminal intent. Ghana, as I see it, welcomes gen­uine, law-abiding foreigners who wish to contribute positively and respect our way of life. However, I maintain we must be resolute in identifying and neutralising the threats posed by those who seek to exploit our hospitality and under­mine our nation.

To decisively address this escalating problem, I propose the following urgent actions:

1. Mandatory Local Government Registration &Monitoring: District Assemblies must be empowered and resourced to maintain an up-to-date registry of all individuals within their jurisdiction, flagging new entrants for verification by im­migration authorities immediately.

2. Strict identity verification for tenancy: It must be illegal for any landlord to rent accommodation to any individual who cannot produce a valid Ghana Card or, for non-na­tionals, a recognised and verifiable residency permit. Heavy penalties should apply for non-compliance.

3. Proof of legal status for property acquisition: The purchase of any landed property must be contingent upon irrefutable proof of Ghanaian citizenship (via Gha­na Card) or, for foreigners, proof of legal residency and compliance with investment laws. The Lands Commission must enforce this rigorously.

4. Empowered District-Level Census and Demographic Track­ing: Every district must conduct regular, localised census updates to track population movements and identify unusual demographic shifts or settlements for investiga­tion.

5. Targeted integration and repatriation programmes: While in­tegration support can be offered to verified and law-abiding foreigners, there must be swift and decisive measures for the repatriation of those who have entered illegally, have criminal records, or are found to be facilitating further illegal immigration.

These recommendations draw inspiration from nations that have successfully managed similar chal­lenges. For example, countries like Australia employ robust systems for tracking, registering, and verify­ing the status of foreign nationals, including stringent checks and bio­metric data. Canada, while having integration programmes, ensures these are for lawfully admitted immigrants.

In conclusion, the narratives of “Kofi Dokoduku” and the street-boy-turned-criminal are not mere fiction; they are, in my opinion, allegories for a reality unfolding in our communities. I urge that we must act with urgency and determi­nation to reinforce our local gover­nance systems, rigorously control property ownership, and ensure every individual residing in Ghana is properly identified and account­ed for. The security, stability, and future prosperity of our nation depend on it.

BY ADADE CAN-TAMAKLOE