Media urged to expose migration myths and protect African youth

The African Leaders Network for Democracy, Emergence and Renewal (Réseau-LEADER) has called on African media professionals to take a central role in debunking myths surrounding youth migration and exposing the harsh realities that often lie behind promises of prosperity abroad.

Meeting in Accra with Ghanaian and regional journalists, Réseau-LEADER issued an appeal for the media to move beyond superficial reporting and instead confront misinformation, deceptive recruitment schemes and exploitative practices that continue to endanger young Africans seeking opportunities outside the continent.

The press conference, organized under the theme “The Role of the Media in Addressing the Illusions and Realities of African Youth Migration,” on August 22, 2025, will continue in Accra on September 22, 2025, with media professionals, migration experts and institutional partners expected to deepen discussions and commit to more responsible coverage of migration issues.

Speaking during the event, Nana Bafour Odefour Boamh Darko, Mawerehene of Akyem Adadientam stated that, thousands of African youths are lured daily by embellished narratives of success in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and other regions. Yet, these dreams often end in abuse, exploitation or even life-threatening situations.

He cited the controversial “Alabuga Start” case in Russia where young African women were reportedly recruited under the pretext of training but allegedly faced exploitation as an urgent example demanding investigative scrutiny by journalists.

Other troubling patterns were highlighted In the Middle East, African women working as domestic workers, particularly in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Kuwait, often face confiscation of passports, unpaid wages, poor living conditions and physical or psychological abuse under the kafala system.

“These situations, far from isolated, reveal a troubling norm: the exploitation of young Africans through opaque migration circuits has become a dangerous feature of today’s globalized world,” he warned.

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The network stressed that African journalists are uniquely positioned to counter these migration illusions by, investigating and exposing false narratives and deceptive recruitment schemes.

“We urge media professionals to become true allies in this struggle, trapped migration is not only an individual tragedy; it is a collective threat to the future of our continent.”

Dr Jean Emmanuel, the chairperson of the organization, called on African youth to take their pursuit of success seriously.

He cautioned that success is not achieved overnight; therefore, if the youth’s goal is to make it big by traveling to some Western countries, they may be putting their lives at risk.

AM/

Meanwhile, watch below the trailer for GhanaWeb’s upcoming documentary on teenage girls and how fish is stealing their futures: