The Government of Ghana, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has safely repatriated 144 Ghanaian nationals from Libya to Accra under the Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) Programme, as efforts intensify to rescue citizens stranded in high-risk migration transit countries.
Their return follows a recent high-level mission to Libya by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Member of Parliament for Kintampo South, Felicia Adjei who engaged Ghana’s Embassy in Tripoli over the deteriorating conditions facing Ghanaian migrants, including allegations of exploitation, arbitrary arrests and detention, forced labour, extortion and the absence of legal documentation.
According to the government, the majority of the returnees had entered Libya through irregular migration routes, with many intending to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Spain in search of better economic opportunities. The dangerous journey reportedly claimed the lives of few Ghanaian migrants while attempting the sea crossing.
During the fact-finding visit, the Member of Parliament for Kintampo South described the conditions endured by undocumented Ghanaian migrants in Libya as worse than the current wave of anti-immigrant violence in South Africa, which has reportedly claimed the life of a Ghanaian national.
The returnees arrived in two batches and were received at the Kotoka International Airport by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ghana Immigration Service, National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Department of Social Welfare, Ghana Health Service and other institutions responsible for migrant protection and reintegration.
The Kintampo South legislator disclosed that seven evacuation flights have been scheduled to facilitate the return of stranded Ghanaians who have registered to benefit from the government-supported repatriation exercise, noting that many of those affected are residents of her constituency.
Upon arrival, the returnees underwent health screening and received immediate humanitarian assistance, including food, psychosocial support and transportation. They are also expected to benefit from reintegration assistance, including livelihood support, vocational skills training and other socio-economic empowerment programmes, subject to individual needs assessments.
The Government urged Ghanaians considering migration abroad to pursue safe, regular and legal migration pathways, warning against the dangers posed by irregular migration and human smuggling networks.
“The Government also reiterated the importance of regular and safe migration, urging prospective migrants to make informed decisions and to utilise legal migration pathways while avoiding the dangers associated with irregular migration and human smuggling networks,” the statement said.
The evacuation forms part of Ghana’s longstanding partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to facilitate the safe, orderly and dignified return of Ghanaian nationals stranded abroad, particularly in conflict-affected countries and high-risk migration transit hubs such as Libya.
Libya remains one of the principal transit hubs for migrants attempting the perilous Central Mediterranean crossing to Europe. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), an estimated 936,134 migrants were in Libya as of January–February 2026, with the majority originating from North and West Africa.
According to the Agency, 84% of migrants lack valid residency or work permits, leaving many vulnerable to arbitrary detention, forced labour, exploitation, extortion and human trafficking. The Central Mediterranean route from Libya to Europe also remains one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors, with hundreds of migrants losing their lives or disappearing at sea each year while attempting the crossing
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