Assistant Superintendent of Immigration (ASI) Rickey Nana Yaw Boakye, an Officer at the Sampa Command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) in the Bono Region, has disclosed that over 200 Ghanaians are currently stranded in Cote D'Ivoire. These individuals are believed to be victims of the “Q-Net” fraudulent online scheme, which promises job opportunities abroad but instead defrauds unsuspecting victims of large sums of money.
ASI Boakye revealed that efforts are underway to collaborate with the Immigration Service in Cote D'Ivoire to rescue and repatriate these stranded Ghanaian migrants, including women and girls, back to Ghana. Last year, the Sampa Command, with support from other security agencies, successfully rescued and repatriated around 200 victims through the Ghana-Cote D'Ivoire border in the Jaman North District.
Speaking at a stakeholder's meeting organized by ActionAid Ghana (AAG) in Abesim near Sunyani, ASI Boakye expressed concern over the human rights abuses suffered by the victims, noting that some are currently confined in a room in Ivory Coast without permission to leave.
He emphasized the risks associated with travelling abroad through illegal means and cautioned aspiring migrants to process all necessary legal documentation through official channels. ASI Boakye warned that engaging in illegal services like “Q-Net” exposes individuals to unnecessary dangers and urged the youth to seek assistance from the GIS to ensure safe and legal migration.
Kwame Afram Denkyira, the Bono Regional Programme Manager for AAG, highlighted the positive impact of the NORAD-funded multi-country project, which aimed to promote people-centred national regulatory frameworks and policies to ensure decent work, particularly in the agricultural value chain.
Overall, the efforts of the GIS and collaborating agencies, along with the support of organizations like AAG, are crucial in addressing the plight of stranded migrants and preventing future incidents of exploitation and fraud in the migration process.