Child Rights International (CRI) has issued a scathing condemnation of recent mass street raids and evictions carried out by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), describing it as a “chaotic and harmful exercise” that violated basic child protection protocols.
The operation, conducted on May 16, 2025, in high-traffic areas of Accra—Kaneshie, Abossey Okai, and Kwame Nkrumah Circle—resulted in the arrest and evictions of more than 2,000 individuals. Disturbingly, CRI estimates that at least 60% of those apprehended were children, many of whom are foreign nationals.
In a strongly worded press release, CRI Executive Director Bright Kweku Appiah criticized the approach taken by immigration officers, saying it ignored Ghana’s legal and moral obligations under both national and international child protection laws.
“These children are not criminals. They are victims of systemic neglect, poverty, and cross-border vulnerabilities. To treat them as immigration offenders is not only unjust—it is unlawful,” Appiah said.
CRI slammed GIS for proceeding without the involvement of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, nor any visible plan to care for the children post-evacuation.
“There was no coordination. No reintegration roadmap. No child-specific protocols. This operation lacked even the most basic safeguards,” the statement read.
The child advocacy organization also warned that such unilateral operations may create diplomatic friction, particularly with the countries of origin of the affected children, and called attention to Ghana’s porous borders that continue to allow undocumented minors into the country without scrutiny.
Calling the situation a ‘national emergency,’ CRI urged the government to shift from reactive policing to a sustainable, rights-based response.
It proposed the immediate implementation of the following:
- Comprehensive biometric and background data collection
- Bilateral engagement with countries of origin for repatriation and child welfare
- Strengthening of border surveillance and monitoring
- Creation of structured child reintegration and support frameworks
“Leaving children to fend for themselves on the streets is more than a social failure—it is a betrayal of our shared humanity. Ghana must act decisively to protect its most vulnerable,” Appiah added.
CRI appealed to civil society, development partners, and government stakeholders to join forces in ensuring that future interventions prioritize child safety and dignity over optics and numbers.
