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The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), through its Ashanti Regional Command, successfully conducted a major operation on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, aimed at rescuing undocumented migrants involved in exploitative street begging in Kumasi. The operation, which began at 03:30 AM, targeted key hotspots known for these illegal activities.
A total of 606 individuals were apprehended during the exercise, including:
381 children
153 males
72 females
The operation focused on areas such as Asawase, Alabar, Akwatia Line, Dagomba Line, Sabon Zongo, and Aboabo, where many of the individuals are believed to have been victims of organized human trafficking and forced begging.
This action forms part of the GIS’s broader national campaign to tackle the issue of street begging networks in Ghana. A similar operation carried out in the Greater Accra Region on April 15, 2026, led to the repatriation of 356 West African nationals to their respective countries: Niger, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso.
In collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission in Accra, the GIS has been working to assist 89 Nigerian nationals in regularizing their immigration status and connecting them with relevant anti-human trafficking authorities in Nigeria.
Under the Beggars and Destitute Act, 1969 (NLCD 392), street begging is illegal for both citizens and non-citizens in Ghana. Offenders can face fines, imprisonment for up to three months, or both penalties.
Story by Efua Nessa
Source: Loco tv