Some of the stakeholders at the event
Stakeholders within the migration industry have argued that migration can fuel development but only when governments move beyond rhetoric and create trust-based, structured investment systems that make remittances truly transformative.
This was the central message emerging from the latest edition of “Ma Yen Nkasa – Let’s Talk”, organised by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Ghana Office, under the theme “Migration as Development Policy? Can Remittances and Mobility Drive Sustainable Development?”
Speaking at the forum on February 3, 2026, Festus Owooson, Immigration and Operations Manager at Globetrotters Legal Affairs, argued that while remittances already play a critical role in household survival, their developmental impact remains limited due to weak policy frameworks and persistent mistrust between governments and the diaspora.
“The money will be consumed but if it is structured into investment instruments, it can become transformational,” he noted.
Owooson pointed to diaspora bonds as a widely used development financing tool in other countries, noting that Ghana has periodically issued similar instruments.
However, he questioned whether these bonds genuinely attract Ghanaian migrants.
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According to him, frequent policy changes and political transitions have weakened confidence among contemporary diaspora communities, making them hesitant to commit long-term investments despite attractive interest rates.
“Because governments change every four or eight years, there isn’t that consistency for trust to be built,” he said.
He added that older or “classical” diaspora groups may be more inclined to invest but stressed the need for credible data and long-term policy stability.
While remittances are often used for consumption, Owooson emphasised that short-term financial instruments such as Treasury bills and regulated investment schemes could allow families to meet daily needs while enabling governments to channel funds into productive sectors.
“In countries like Mexico and the Philippines, governments match diaspora funding. That’s how small projects become transformational,” he said.
Adding to the discussion, Andreas Berding, Head of the Ghanaian European Centre at GIZ, stressed that migration-development policies cannot rely solely on external partners.
Using Germany as an example, he explained that language barriers significantly increase migration costs and reduce competitiveness, unless countries of origin take proactive steps.
“If these policies should work, active action is needed on the local side,” Berding said.
He proposed targeted investments in selected TVET institutions, including permanent foreign language teachers, to better prepare Ghanaian workers for international labour markets.
Berding also questioned Ghana’s heavy focus on high-level diaspora summits, arguing that implementation has lagged behind dialogue.
“It’s always a summit. But we need more proactive action to actually implement these policies,” he said.
Anna Wasserfall, Country Representative of KAS Ghana, framed the discussion as a continuation of earlier conversations on return migration and reintegration, stressing that migration presents both opportunities and risks.
She noted that the goal of Ma Yen Nkasa is not to promote a single narrative but to feed balanced, evidence-based perspectives into public and political debate.
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