Child Rights International (CRI) has strongly objected to the recent evacuation operation carried out by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) on May 16, 2025, describing it as a grave violation of child protection standards.
The operation, aimed at removing street beggars from Accra’s busiest hotspots—including Kaneshie, Abossey Okai, and Kwame Nkrumah Circle—resulted in the arrest of over 2,000 individuals, with approximately 60% being children.
In a press statement, Executive Director of CRI, Bright Kweku Appiah, expressed deep concern over the treatment and welfare of the children involved.
“These children are in urgent need of care and protection, not criminalization. Ghana has international obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and national laws such as the Children’s Act, which mandate that the best interests of children should be prioritized above all else,” he said.
CRI criticized GIS for carrying out the operation without coordination with the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection and for failing to develop a clear post-evacuation plan for the children.
The organization highlighted the absence of established protocols for reintegrating or repatriating the affected minors and raised concerns about Ghana’s weak border monitoring systems, which it says allow undocumented children to enter and remain in the country.
Describing the situation as a “national emergency,” Mr. Appiah urged the government to adopt a more sustainable, rights-based approach in addressing the issue of street children.
CRI also proposed several key recommendations, including the collection of comprehensive bio-data, the establishment of bilateral agreements with the children’s countries of origin, improved border security measures, and child-specific reintegration protocols.
“Allowing children to remain on the streets is not only a social injustice—it’s a moral and economic failure,” Appiah concluded. “Ghana must act swiftly and responsibly to safeguard the rights and welfare of its most vulnerable citizens.”