In Ghana like any developing country, there is internal migration by rural dwellers to urban centres despite its attendant problems.
In the past, males dominated the migration trend flowing from their traditional roles as breadwinners. But as both men and women began sharing economic roles the trend changed.
A research on the sustainable return of migrants to their origin has revealed that most female migrants from northern Ghana return home to marry. Those who return with a lot of valuables are “hot candidates” for marriage, since the more resources they acquire give the men confidence in them.
Also such migrants attract more attention from family and community members on their arrival. The females usually attract higher level of attention than the males. For the men, there is no return funfair since most male return migrants arrive secretly to avoid any scene.
Certainly, those who acquire many assets would like to arrive in the community in broad day light for parents and onlookers to admire and appreciate their efforts.
Stephen O. Kwankye, John k. Anarfi and Cynthia Addoquaye Tagoe conducted the research which focused on return migrants aged 15 and above selected randomly from Tamale Municipal area and West Mamprusi district which are major sending areas.
It states that a higher proportion of the males (40%) than the females (26%) have returned home since 10 years or more.
Dr. Kwankye explained that a higher percentage of males than females migrants were first born sons who returned to take responsibility as family heads due to the patrilineal system of inheritance.
The report said although female migration has important implications for development, it still receives little attention. It involves both the unskilled and semi-skilled from rural to urban areas mainly for economic reasons. Lately independent child migration is increasing.
A situation the researchers say could produce two outcomes: permanent residence at destination or temporary or permanent return and re-integration.
“Some migrants may return upon attainment of their objectives and others return when they fail to achieve their objectives or when they cannot cope with the social environment and way of life of the destination area,” states the research.
Relating to age at first migration, 2.3% of males are less than 10 years, 2.7% females are between the ages of 10 to 14 against 15.9% males, and 97.3% of females and 81.8% males between 15 to 17 years.
Increased poverty, deterioration and inadequate social services such as health and education, imbalances in development, distribution of social services and infrastructure have often been cited as determinants of migration.
Others include lack of employment opportunities and employable skills. 70.3% of female return migrants have no education against 35.5% males and 14.5% of females have primary education compared to 15.7% males.
Prof. Anarfi noted that the propensity of return migrants to go back is high because when one attains a certain level of living one wants to maintain it.
“At their origins conditions are different and do not allow them to stay when they return. Those who make it at their migration stations are likely to go back,” he said.
It cannot however be stated categorically that there is sustainable return as many of the migrants can hardly boast of jobs that could guarantee sustainable incomes.
As a result, interventions should catch the migrants at their origin in order to attract others to go back. Even though it may be costly, “longitudinal study could examine the migration trajectories and how they translate into sustainable return and transformation of home communities of child migrants who eventually return,” the study recommended.
The education of women is key to development and peace. The government’s Free Compulsory Universal and Basic Education (FCUBE) in the area of girls’ education focuses on increasing enrollment, reducing drop-out rates, and increasing transition rates from basic to senior secondary school.
It is expected that the education reforms will help address the identifiable challenges to ensure that Ghana achieves the education for all goals and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
The MDG number two is to achieve Universal Primary Education, while the number three is to promote gender equality and empower women.
Education is a human right and it is the only way of breaking the cycle of poverty.
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