Ghana - All IOM Ghana followers, tune your radios to Akyeaa FM, 99.1 Nkoranza for some fresh talk on migration.

On 8 August, IOM Nkoranza staff member Daniel Nyarko-Afriyie sat down with Akyeaa FM host Ohenanaa Kwame Baffoe-Adjei to discuss issues related to safe migration and the dangers of irregular migration. The discussion also included an account of a Ghanaian migrant who survived a harrowing journey through the Sahara desert attempting to reach Libya; and a live call with a Ghanaian resident in Libya who shared his story and the challenges Ghanaian migrants face in relation to the ongoing turmoil.

Migration continues to be a hot topic among Ghanaians and Daniel explained the benefits of safe migration and risks of irregular migration. Did you know for instance that migrants regardless of their status have certain basic rights, such as the right to health?

Certain travel documents are required in order to migrate legally to another country; individuals meeting these are called regular migrants. People who enter a country without the proper authorization or stay for a longer period than authorized are in an irregular situation. Irregular migration exposes migrants to dangerous physical, psychological obstacles on their journey including exposure to disease, lack of food and water, abuse, confiscation of documents and even death.

IOM encourages all potential migrants to inform themselves about how to safely migrate.

Callers to the radio talk show were particularly interested to know how to obtain passports and visas, and what efforts were being made to assist stranded Ghanaian migrants in Libya.

Many Ghanaians from the north, particularly the Brong Ahafo Region, make the journey across the Sahara desert to reach Libya in search of economic opportunities. The success of some migrants has encouraged others to attempt the journey, but many are unaware of the extreme dangers of this trip.

To shed some light on this issue a Ghanaian migrant in Libya agree to participate in the discussion. He says that life is unsafe for migrants in Libya with ongoing conflict in the country. This has forced many shops to close and the inability to buy even basic items. According to him, there remain stranded Ghanaian migrants in Libya that need assistance to return home.

For all those interested to learn more about the importance of safe migration and IOM efforts to assist Ghanaians returning home, we invite you to visit our website: http://www.iom.int/cms/ghana