Planning and managing migration within the framework of the migration-development nexus: a content analysis of Ghana’s National Migration Policy

Keywords: Brain circulation, Ghana, migration policy, migration-development nexus, remittances
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Monday
Session Start / End Time: 2/28/2022 08:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/28/2022 09:20 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 67

Abstract

The relationship between migration and development, especially in the sending countries has been a subject of intense and heated debate in migration studies. Corollary, due to real or perceived development gains from migration, sending countries, particularly in the Global South, are adopting migration policies to maximize the gains from migration while concurrently minimizing the costs associated with migration. Using Ghana’s National Migration Policy as a case study, this paper critically analyzes the policy document within the overall framework of the migration-development nexus. The systematic analyses demonstrate that the policy document focuses on maximizing migration gains through remittances, brain circulation, diaspora engagements, and return migration while minimizing the cost of migration through brain drain management. Although the development-focused nature of the policy document is intriguing, gaps exist that need addressing to meet the salient migration concerns of the 21st century. Thus, no recognition of contextual and structural forces that hinder development, no attention to left-behind families, and a mismatch between policy document and practicality. Overall, the formulation and promulgation of GNMP should not be seen as an end in itself but rather as a starting point to effectively manage migration.