NADMO STAFF UNDERGOES PSYCHOSOCIAL COUNSELLING TRAINING IN HANDLING MIGRANTS

The government in collaboration with the International Organization of Migration, the German Cooperation Agency and the Ghanaian-German Centre for Jobs and Migration and Reintegration has organised a 2-day training session for NADMO staff on 10th and 11th May 2021.

As part of NADMO's efforts to equip staff with knowledge on effective disaster management, the department of migration in NADMO has engaged with international organisations to train staff on how to handle and provide relief supports to returnees.

Deportation is at the peak of its wave as millions of people are deported from different countries globally. Most migrants give an account of what they went through before deported to their home countries; migrants are tortured, killed, raped and forced to return through dangerous zones. Deportees find it difficult to relate to their family due to their traumatic experience and stigmatisation from society.

According to the Director-General of NADMO, Mr Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh said, " the sufferings and defenselessness that majority of Ghanaian forced returned migrants experience cannot be overstated.

"They usually arrive with heightened risk owing to their vulnerabilities, the constant narrative of the challenges that usually characterise the returned process; from detention centres from host countries to post-arrival in Ghana reveals that the good number of them arrive in Ghana with practically nothing to depend on for their livelihood."

According to Robert Keto, the Psychosocial Project Assistant of IOM, migrants who return have right, however, unhealthy migrants cannot contribute to the country's development. Therefore returnees need support emotionally, physically and mentally.

The IOM in collaboration with World Health Organisation(WHO) has put much effort to support returned migrants and related issues. IOM continues to train governments and also reach out to migrants who are traumatised.

The Director-General of NADMO revealed that "the government does not support irregular migration but it's our aim to that our citizen is handled with much respect and dignity. In our quest to restore the psychosocial of these vulnerable, forced returned migrants, psychosocial aid has become an important equation in the reintegration process."

"Given this, I give it a maximum priority to the training of NADMO staff to equip them to manage victims of disasters and forced returned migrants more efficiently."

Article 1 and 5 of the Declaration of Human Rights(UDHR) states, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood".

Article 5 - No one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The Declaration would transform and inspire countries from refraining from torturing immigrants, also protecting and promoting human right and basic freedoms in host countries.

Notwithstanding, there have been several cases of maltreatment of migrants in various detention centres across the world, peaceful dialogues and measures are discussed to end these acts.

"There are many ways of tackling issues such as through consensus and compromise and the United Nations has laws and international diplomacy which we use to solve some of the problems. That is why we are taking steps to ensure that the right things are done,” he said.