In a coordinated early-morning operation on Friday, May 16, 2025, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) moved to clear street children and their guardians—many suspected to be foreign nationals—from the busy commercial zones of Kaneshie and Abossey Okai in Accra.
Immigration officers, backed by official vehicles, rounded up numerous women and children who were found occupying sidewalks and intersections, often begging for money from passing motorists and pedestrians. Prior to their removal, officers engaged the individuals in conversation and assessed their status.
The operation forms part of a broader national campaign aimed at easing urban congestion, boosting public safety, and curbing the exploitation of minors, particularly in key trading areas of the capital. It also focuses on identifying undocumented migrants and enforcing Ghana’s immigration laws.
This latest action follows mounting concerns from stakeholders, including Dr. Ernestina Tetteh of the Coalition for Street-Connected Children Organisation (CSCCO), who recently sounded the alarm over the growing and increasingly organized presence of foreign minors living and begging on Ghana’s streets.
