Study reveals border extortion and lack of documents drive use of unapproved routes in Ghana

The study, titled “Cross-Border Migration of Itinerant Immigrant Retailers in Ghana,” found that 58.2% of 779 sampled retailers entered Ghana via unapproved routes, while 41.8% used approved routes. All respondents traveled by land, with 71.9% using vehicles and 28.1% on foot. The research highlights that those without travel documents predominantly used unapproved routes, while 98.4% of those with documents used approved entry points.

High costs of regular travel also made unapproved alternatives attractive, with 95.8% of respondents facing financial difficulty resorting to unapproved routes. Allegations of harassment and demands for informal payments at official crossing points were also reported. The study proposes six policy actions, including making approved routes easier to use, expanding access to documentation and pre-travel information, creating anti-extortion mechanisms, and engaging migrant associations and border communities as governance partners.

It recommends clear information on required documents, legitimate charges, and processing times, disseminated through various channels and languages, and treating bor