Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice Chancellor, University of Ghana (UG), has underscored the critical role of migration research in advancing Africa’s development.
She described migration as essential to economic resilience, human security, skills development and regional integration.
Prof. Amfo was speaking at the launch of the 20th anniversary of the Centre for Migration Studies (CMS) and the opening of a 3-day International Conference on Movement in Africa, to commemorate the milestone in Accra.
The launch of the 20th anniversary celebration was on the theme, “Celebrating Migration Scholarship, Partnership and the Future of Mobility,” while that of the International Conference is, “The Realities of Free Movement in West Africa: Governance, Norms and Social Transformation.”
Prof. Amfo said the work and achievements of CMS over the past two decades strongly aligned with the University of Ghana’s strategic priorities, particularly in impactful research, transformative student experience, and meaningful partnerships.
She said migration was one of the oldest forms of human activity, noting its historical role in shaping civilizations, driving innovation, fostering cultural exchange, and contributing significantly to economic and social development.
“Contemporary migration research is even more crucial, given the growing links between mobility, labour markets, regional integration and sustainable development,” she added.
Prof. Amfo highlighted labour mobility as a key tool for addressing unemployment, skills mismatches and livelihood challenges across West Africa, adding that governments, institutions and regional bodies had a shared responsibility to play.
She said the Centre had enhanced student learning through specialised programmes, training and capacity-building initiatives, producing graduates who are globally competitive and contributing meaningfully across diverse professional fields.
Prof. Amfo welcomed the International Conference on Movement in Africa, organised in collaboration with the Danish National Research Foundation Centre of Excellence for Global Mobility Law at the University of Copenhagen and the IDRC Research Chair – West Africa.
She said the conference provided an important platform for examining the governance of movement, safeguarding rights and dignity, and exploring how societies could maximise the benefits of human mobility while managing its challenges.
She commended CMS for two decades of impactful scholarship and expressed confidence that the Centre would continue to play a leading role in shaping migration policy, academic discourse and public understanding in Africa and beyond.
Mr Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, the Minister for the Interior, said the CMS had emerged as a leading institution in migration research, capacity building and policy engagement.
He said the Centre’s work had helped elevate migration from a peripheral concern to a key development priority within national and regional policy frameworks.
The Minister noted that CMS had provided critical technical support toward the development of major national frameworks, including the National Migration Policy, the National Labour Migration Policy and the Diaspora Engagement Policy.
“These interventions have positioned Ghana to manage migration in a more strategic, compassionate and development-oriented manner,” he stressed.
Mr Mubarak acknowledged that while migration management often prioritised security, there was a growing need to balance enforcement with humanity.
He expressed confidence that CMS would continue to support the Ministry and other stakeholders through innovation, strengthened partnerships and evidence-based approaches to migration governance that delivered tangible development outcomes.
Prof. Mary Boatemaa Setrana, the Director for CMS, said the CMS was actively positioning its programmes, research and training initiatives to expand postgraduate enrollment, advance impactful research, deepen policy engagement and strengthen regional and international partnerships.
She appealed to the government and management of the University to look favourably upon the Centre and support them in recruiting at least three to five additional permanent faculty members due to the inadequacies they faced.
