Return migration and development in ghanaa study of the return intentions and development potential of ghananian labour migrants in southern european industrial districts

Abstract

Ghanaian immigrants constitute one of the most important components of Southern European industrial workforce from West Africa. They began to settle in Italy during the mid-1980s and in Spain during the late 1990s. Today, approximately 55,000 Ghanaian migrants are scattered in the industrial and farming communities of Italy (40,000) and Spain (15,000). Most of these migrants did not initially plan to live in their respective immigration country for good. They wanted to acquire capital to return to live at home. This thesis examines the return intentions of Ghanaian migrants before, during and after migration, the conditions that influence return and the impact of return intentions upon the migrants' home country development. It is based on a field work conducted among Ghanaian migrants in Schio and Vic in the industrial provinces of Vicenza (Italy) and Barcelona (Spain) respectively. Results of the research show that, Ghanaian migrants' return migration is strictly linked to economic success than to failure. Return is, for them, a long-term project, which is preceded by a long period of preparation, which involves investment in housing, agriculture and business enterprises in Ghana. The research further shows that due to family settlement, children's education, difficult employment situation, the desire to preserve pension and European residence rights, as well as conditions in the host and home countries, it is less likely that the migrants would return before their labour market activity is over. Additionally, the tendency towards onward migration to UK and USA among those in Italy who obtain permanent residence permits or Italian citizenship is very high. However, while the migrants appear to be fortifying a bi-polar residence between the West and Ghana, their intention to return one day has a positive development impact in Ghana, as they channel most of their savings there to invest in view of return.