GHAPEA calls for support to end illegal migration

Ghana Association of Private Employment Agencies (GHAPEA) has called for a multi-sectoral approach to clamp down on illegal migration agencies which are operating illegally in the country.

According to the President of GHAPEA and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dangaskiya Ventures Limited, Alhaji Saeed A.M. Shereef, “these illegal operators are not only causing harm to Ghana’s good reputation and the dignity of Ghanaians but also pushing genuine agencies out of business.”

Alhaji Shereef made the call at a press conference in Accra yesterday.

The press conference was to engage the media on some pertinent issues affecting the operations of the association.

The president of GHAPEA and CEO of Dangaskiya Ventures was however, not happy about the lack of recognition by some government agencies even though the association has been fully registered and certified by the appropriate state institutions.

“It’s very worrying to us to realise that many government authorities and stakeholders do not know or do not recognise the existence of GHAPEA.

Many stakeholders’ meeting have been held in the past without GHAPEA being invited for vital contributions from us,” he opined.

Alhaji Shereef was also not happy with how the media, in some ways, put GHAPEA on the same platform with the illegal agencies, and therefore, called for a collaboration with the association to weed out the bad ones.

The association, which was formed on July 15, 2015 on the advice of the then Parliamentary Select Committee for Employment, Social Welfare and State Enterprises of Ghana’s Parliament has a membership of 26 out of a total of 52 licenced agencies with the labour department of the ministry of employment and labour relations.

Meanwhile, speaking in an exclusive interview with Today on the sidelines, General Secretary of GHAPEA, Rev. Dr. Princess Ashie Ocansey, explained that most of the cases which gain wider media attention were basically those illegal agents who deal in direct-to-home services where there was no one at the receiving country to supervise and monitor the activities of the people they send out.

She reiterated that members of the association deal on direct-to-institutions where there is someone at the receiving country to supervise and monitor their clients on constant bases.

Rev. Dr Ashie Ocansey therefore, called on would-be immigrants and the general public to verify from the labour department to ascertain the genuineness of the agencies they are dealing with.

“Everyone should make sure that he or she signs a proper agreement, and also ensure that they receive an offer and exit letters,” she added.