Over 60,000 Ghanaians still trapped in Libya – IOM

At least 62,000 Ghanaians are still trapped in war-ravaged Libya, according to the International Organisation for Migration’ (IOM) Displacement Tracking Metrix.

The revelation comes after over 200 Ghanaian migrants in Libya returned home with the assistance of the IOM in March.

A report by IOM in February revealed that about 53,200 illegal Ghanaian migrants are still in Libya.

The report ranked Ghana as one of the countries with the highest number of illegal migrants in the war-torn Northern African country.

Out of the 12 countries ranked, Ghana came 5th followed by Nigeria and Mali. Niger topped the list of countries with 78,723 migrants followed by Egypt, which had a total of 78,616 migrants in Libya.

The recent disclosure comes months after some 127 Ghanaian detainees were rescued from Libya following a CNN’s footage of migrants being auctioned off as slaves in Libya.

Briefing Starr News on the latest number, the Country Director for IOM, Sylvia Lopez said the 62,000 Ghanaians still trapped in Libya are not in detention centers.



The migrants, she said will only be repatriated at their own request.

“When it comes to any new returns as a matter fact, it is purely voluntary, so it is for the migrant to decide to come back to their countries of origin,” she said.