By Sarah Baafi
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has called for a balanced and humane approach to migration governance in Africa, stressing the need to align national security priorities with the human realities of migration.
Delivering the keynote address at the launch of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Centre for Migration Studies (CMS) at the University of Ghana, the Minister emphasised that effective migration management must recognise migrants not only as security concerns but also as human beings whose movements are shaped by social, economic and political realities.
The celebration, held under the theme “The Realities of Free Movement in Africa: Governance Norms and Social Transformation,” marked two decades of CMS’s contribution to research, policy engagement and leadership in migration studies.
Hon. Muntaka acknowledged that the Centre’s extensive research work has deepened his appreciation of the human dimensions of migration, particularly in relation to internal governance and national security. He noted that such evidence-based research is critical to informing sound policies that are both protective and inclusive.
He further underscored the importance of a national development framework that integrates focused research institutions like CMS, describing them as vital bridges between knowledge generation and policy implementation. According to him, the Centre’s work has helped position Ghana as a leading hub for migration research in Africa and strengthened the country’s voice in regional and continental migration policy discussions.
The Minister expressed government’s appreciation for CMS’s sustained contribution to national and regional discourse on migration and mobility.
In her remarks, the Director of the Centre for Migration Studies, Professor Mary Biatekmaa Setrana, reflected on her academic and professional journey and outlined key strategic initiatives undertaken under her leadership. These include expanding postgraduate enrolment, strengthening research output and enhancing the Centre’s relevance to policy and practice.
Professor Setrana reaffirmed CMS’s commitment to advancing rigorous, policy-relevant research on migration and mobility in Africa, noting that the Centre remains dedicated to supporting evidence-based decision-making at national, regional and continental levels.
The event was attended by the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Hon. Rashid Pelpuo; the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey; and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, who served as Chairperson of the programme. Members of the diplomatic corps, academics, policymakers and staff of the University of Ghana were also present.
Established in 2005, the Centre for Migration Studies at the University of Ghana has become one of Africa’s leading institutions dedicated to research, training and policy engagement on migration and mobility. Over the past two decades, CMS has played a key role in shaping migration governance debates in Ghana and across the continent, with a focus on free movement, labour migration, security, and social transformation.
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Source:
www.gbcghanaonline.com