The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Ghana has urged the government and policymakers to integrate climate and development policies into national and local planning frameworks to effectively address the growing challenges of climate-induced mobility in the country.
The call follows a recent IOM-led study conducted in partnership with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) as part of a wider research initiative undertaken in Accra, Addis Ababa, and Bujumbura to examine the impacts of climate change on human mobility across Africa.
In Ghana, the research focused on four climate-vulnerable communities within the AMA — Glefe, Agbogbloshie, Odawna, and Alajo — where flooding, poor drainage systems, and sea-level rise continue to endanger lives and livelihoods.
Presenting the findings at a media engagement in Accra on Friday, the National Project Officer of IOM Ghana, Mr Eric Kwame Akomani, said the study revealed how climate change was shaping new patterns of internal mobility, forcing residents to rely on fragile coping strategies such as community clean-ups, informal early warning systems, petty trading, and temporary relocations during floods.
He noted that women and youth in informal settlements remained the most affected, facing heightened vulnerabilities linked to insecure jobs, unsafe housing, and limited access to essential services.
“The vulnerability of women who migrate because of climate problems does not reduce after migration; it only changes into different forms,” Mr Akomani stated. “When well-managed, migration can serve as a pathway to resilience. What we need now is coordinated, evidence-based planning that puts people and communities at the centre of climate action,” he added.
Mr Akomani reaffirmed IOM’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s climate resilience agenda through data-driven research and strengthened partnerships with local authorities.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY
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