7 - The socio-economic well-being of internal migrants in Agbogbloshie, Ghana
Corresponding Author(s) : Charles Yaw Oduro
African Sociological Review,
Vol. 19 No. 2 (2015): African Sociological Review
Abstract
The recent claims that migration can improve the well-being of migrants and thei dependants
back home has mainly focused on international migration to destinations that are considered
developed. Few studies have focused on internal migration and its effects on migrants’ wellbeing.
Besides, whether migrations to areas that are considered not developed can also contribute
to improving the well-being of migrants and their dependants back home remains unaccounted
for in the literature. This study employed a quantitative design involving descriptive statistics,
independent t- test and binomial test to examine the effects of internal migration on the wellbeing
of migrants in Agbogbloshie-the most populous slum in Accra. The study found that the
determinants of well-being; income, education and employment have improved for migrants
after migration. The results implied that migration had a net positive effect on migrants’ wellbeing.
However, this benefit comes at a cost as migrant workers are engaged in works that post
a lot of risk such as carrying very heavy loads, exposed to toxic substances and living in very
poor accommodation. The paper recommends that efforts be made by governments to bridge the
development gap between the north and south of the country so as to limit the rate of migration
Keywords
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- Adams Richard. 2006. Remittances and Poverty in Ghana. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, No. 3838. Washington DC: World Bank.
- Adepoju, Aderanti . 1995. “Emigration dynamics in Sub-Saharan Africa International Migration.” (Special Issue on Emigration Dynamics in Developing Countries) International Social Science Journal 33: 31-44
- Alan, Bryman. 2008. “Of methods and methodology: Qualitative Research in Organizations an Management.” An International Journal 32: 159-168.
- Aliaga, Martha and Gunderson, Brenda. 2000. Interactive Statistics. Saddle River. Anarfi, John 2003. Migration from and to Ghana, A background paper. Migration DRC Working Paper: No.C4. Sussex: Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalization, and Poverty.
- Retrieved on 4th March, 2014, from: www.sussex. ac.uk/migration Anarfi, John., Kwankye, Stephen., Ababio, Ofosu-Mensah and Tiemoko, Richmond. 2003. Migration from and to Ghana: A Background paper. Migration DRC Working Paper, No. C4. 138. University of Sussex: Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalization and Poverty.
- Anarfi, John and Kwankye, Stephen. 2005. The Costs and Benefits of Children’s Independent Migration from Northern to Southern Ghana’. Paper presented at the International Conference on Childhoods:Children and Youth in Emerging and Transforming Societies. Oslo, Norway, 29 June – July 3, 2005 Ankrah Mary. 2011. Empowerment through Enumeration. In L. Bain, ed. Faces of Old Fadama Western Publications. Retrieved on 10-12-2013 fromwww.sdinet.org/media/upload/countries/.../Faces_of_Old_Fadama.pdf
- Awumbila, Mariama and Ardayfio-Schandorf, Elizabeth. 2008. “Gendered Poverty, Migration and Livelihood Strategies of Female Porters in Accra, Ghana.” Norwegian Journal of Geography 62(3): 171-179
- Awumbila, Mariama. 2007. Internal migration, vulnerability and female porters in Accra, Ghana.
- Paper presented at the Population Association of America 2007 Annual Meeting. Accessed from January 2, 2008, from http://paa2007/download.aspx?submissionId=70865
- Becker, Gary. 1974. “A Theory of Social Interactions.” Journal of Political Economy 82: 1063-1093 Black, Richard. and Sward, Jon. 2009. Poverty Reduction Strategies and Human Development. Human Research Paper for UNDP. Retrieved on 20-10-2013 from: hdr.undp.org/.../migration-poverty Bloom, David, Canning, David and Fink, Gunther . 2008. “Urbanization and the wealth of Nations.” Science 319: 772-775
- Caldwell, John Charles. 1969. African Rural-Urban Migration: The Movement to Ghana’s Towns, Canberra, Australia: Australian National University Press.
- De Haas, Hein. 2010. “Migration and development: a theoretical perspective.” International Migration Review 44(1): 22764
- Diener, Edward,Christie Napa, Scollon. & Richard, Lucas .2003. “The evolving concept of subjective well-being: the multifaceted nature of happiness.” Advances in Cell Aging and Gerontology 15: 187-219
- Diener, Edward. 2009. Subjective well-being. In The Science of Well-Being: The Collected Works of Ed. E. Diener (Springer, The Netherlands) 11-58
- Edwards, Alejandra. & Manuelita, Ureta. 2003. “International migration, remittances, and schooling: Evidence from El Salvador.” Journal of Development Economics 72(2): 429–461.
- Ghana Statistical Service (GSS). 2005. 2000 Population and Housing Census, Population Data Analysis Reports, vol. 1: Socio-economic and Demographic Accra: Ghana Statistical Service. Accessed on 20-10-2013 from www.statsghana.gov.gh/
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS). 2014. Maps of Accra Metropolis. Department of Planning, GIS Laboratory, KNUST
- Grigg, David .1977. “E. G. Ravenstein and the ‘laws of migration.” Journal of Historical Geography 3(1):41–54
- Hagen-Zanker, Jessica & Melissa, Siegal. 2007. The Determinants of Remittances: A Review of Literature. Working Paper MGSoG/2007/WPOO3, Maastricht University, MaastrichtGraduate School of Governance
- Harris, John. and Todaro, Michael. 1970.“Migration, Unemployment and Development: A Two Sector analysis.” American Economic Review 60(1): 126-142.
- Housing the Masses. 2010. People’s Dialogue on Human Settlements: Final Report on Community-Led Enumeration of Old Fadama Community, Accra- Ghana, Accra, Ghana. Accessed on 20/11/2013 from: www.sdinet.org/.../2009. May3.2010.Old_Fadama_Enumeration-1_1.pdf
- Jones, Richard. 1998. “Introduction: The renewed role of remittances in the New World Order.” Journal of Economic Geography, 74(1): 1–7 Kapur, Devesh. 2003. Remittances: the new development mantra. Paper prepared for the G-24 Technical Group Meeting, 15–16 September (Geneva: Palais des Nations). Retrieved on 10-02-2013 from: www.citieslocalgovernments.org/.../pbg2420045_en_en.pdf
- King, Russell. 2013. Theories and Typologies of Migration: An Overview and a Primer. Willy Brandt Series of Working Papers in International Migration and Ethnic Relations. Malmo Institute for Studies of Migration, Diversity and Welfare (MIM). University of Malmo. Retrieved on 10-02-2013 from: www.mah.se/ upload/forskningscentrum/mim/wb/wb%203.12.pdf
- Kwankye, Stephen; Anarfi, John; Tagoe, Cynthia and Castaldo, Adrian. 2009. Independent North-South Child Migration in Ghana: The Decision Making Process”. Sussex Centre for Migration Research Working Paper T-29. February. Kwankye, Stephen., Anarfi, John. , Addoquaye, Tagoe Cynthia & Castaldo, Adriana. 2007. Coping Strategies of Independent Child Migrants from Northern Ghana to Southern Cities Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty Working.
- Paper Series, University of Sussex. Retrieved on 10-02- 2013, from: www.migrationdrc.org/publications/working_papers/WP-T23.pdf
- Lartey, Ernest and Blatyne, Darko. 2011. Heath and Sanitation in Old Fadama, not a Government Priority. In Faces of Old Fadama (eds.) Western Publications. Retrieved on 10-12-2013, from: www.sdinet.org/media/upload/countries/.../ Faces_of_Old_Fadama.pdf
- Lee, Everett. 1966. “A Theory of Migration.” Demography 3(1):47-57.
- Lewis, Gareth. 1982. Human migration: A geographical perspective, New York, St. Martin’s Press Lucas, Robert & Oded. Stark. 1985. “Motivations to remit: Evidence from Botswana.” Journal of Political Economy 93(5): 901-18
- Lucas, Robert. 2007. “Migration and rural development.” Journal of Agricultural and Development Economics 4 (1), 99-122
- Mabogunje, Akin. 1970. “System approach to a theory of rural-urban migration.” Geographical Analysis 2(1):1-18
- Mansuri, Ghazala. 2007. Does work migration spur investment in origin communities?
- Entrepreneurship, schooling and child health in rural Pakistan’, International Migration, Economic Development & Policy, Özden, C. and M. Schiff, eds. Washington DC: World Bank.
- Massey, Douglas; Arango, Joaquin, Hugo, Graeme; Kouaouci, Ali; Adela Pellegrino & Edward Taylor.
- Worlds in motion: Understanding international migration at the end of the millennium. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
- McKenzie, David & Rapoport, Hillel. 2007. “Network effects and the dynamics of migration and inequality: theory and evidence from Mexico.” Journal of Development Economics 84 (1):1–24.
- Nabila, John. 1985. Internal Migration and regional development in Ghana, in RIPS (ed). Internal migration development in Africa, Legon, Accra. 205-223.
- Naess, Siri. 1999. “Subjective Approach to Quality of Life.” Feminist Economics 5(2):115-118 New Economics Foundation. 2008. Measuring Well-being in Policy. Accessed on 10- 10 -2013 from: http://www.neweconomics.org/publications
- Nowok, Beata; Van ham, Maarten; Findlay, Allan & Gayle, Vernon. 2011. Does Migration Make You Happy? A Longitudinal Study of Internal Migration and Subjective Well-Being. IZA DP No. 6140, Discussion Paper No. 6140. Accessed on10-10-2013from http://ftp.iza.org/dp6140.pdf
- Oberai, Amarjit. 1978. Determinants of Rural-Urban Migration and its Implications for Rural Areas with Special Reference to ILO Research. Economic and Demographic: Issues for the Proceedings of the Conference, Volume2Helsink: International Union for Scientific Study of Population. Accessed on10-10- 2013 from:www.popline.org/node/443363
- Opare, James Adu. 2003. “Kayayei: The women head porters of southern Ghana. Journal of social development in Africa 18(2):33-48
- Ratha, Dilip. 2003. Workers’ remittances: an important and stable source of external development finance. In World Bank, Global Development Finance 2003, 157- 175 (Washington: World Bank).Accessed on 10-10-2013 fromwww. siteresources.worldbank.org/
- Stark, Oded. 1991. The migration of labor, Oxford and Cambridge, MA: Basil Blackwell. Stark, Oded. 1995. Altruism and Beyond. Oxford and Cambridge: Basil Blackwell.
- Tanle, Augustine. 2003. Rural-urban migration of females from the Wa District to Kumasi and Accra: A case Study of the Kayayei Phenomenon. Master Thesis Submitted to the Department of Geography and Tourism, University of Cape Coast. Accessed on 10-12-2013 from:www.ir.ucc.edu.gh/dspace/bitstream
- Thieme, Susan. & Wyss, Simone. 2005. “Migration patterns and remittance transfer in Nepal: a case study of Sainik Basti in Western Nepal.” International Migration 43(5): 59-98.
- Todaro, Michael. 1997. Economic Development. Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley.
- Twumasi-Ankrah, Kwaku. 1995. “Rural-urban migration and socioeconomic development in Ghana: some discussions.” Journal of Social Development in Africa 10(2):13-22
- UN-HABITAT. 2006b. State of the World’s Cities 2006/2007: The Millennium Development Goals and Urban Sustainability, Earth scan, London.
- Yang, Dean. 2004. International Migration, Human Capital, and Entrepreneurship: Evidence
- from Philippine Migrants’ Exchange Rate Shocks. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
- Yeboah, Muriel Adjubi. 2008. Gender and Livelihoods: Mapping the Economic Strategies of Porters in Accra, Ghana. PhD Dissertation, West Virginia University, Morgantown. Retrieved on 10-12-2013 from https://eidr.wvu.edu/ntdata.eTD?documentid=5755
References
Adams Richard. 2006. Remittances and Poverty in Ghana. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, No. 3838. Washington DC: World Bank.
Adepoju, Aderanti . 1995. “Emigration dynamics in Sub-Saharan Africa International Migration.” (Special Issue on Emigration Dynamics in Developing Countries) International Social Science Journal 33: 31-44
Alan, Bryman. 2008. “Of methods and methodology: Qualitative Research in Organizations an Management.” An International Journal 32: 159-168.
Aliaga, Martha and Gunderson, Brenda. 2000. Interactive Statistics. Saddle River. Anarfi, John 2003. Migration from and to Ghana, A background paper. Migration DRC Working Paper: No.C4. Sussex: Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalization, and Poverty.
Retrieved on 4th March, 2014, from: www.sussex. ac.uk/migration Anarfi, John., Kwankye, Stephen., Ababio, Ofosu-Mensah and Tiemoko, Richmond. 2003. Migration from and to Ghana: A Background paper. Migration DRC Working Paper, No. C4. 138. University of Sussex: Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalization and Poverty.
Anarfi, John and Kwankye, Stephen. 2005. The Costs and Benefits of Children’s Independent Migration from Northern to Southern Ghana’. Paper presented at the International Conference on Childhoods:Children and Youth in Emerging and Transforming Societies. Oslo, Norway, 29 June – July 3, 2005 Ankrah Mary. 2011. Empowerment through Enumeration. In L. Bain, ed. Faces of Old Fadama Western Publications. Retrieved on 10-12-2013 fromwww.sdinet.org/media/upload/countries/.../Faces_of_Old_Fadama.pdf
Awumbila, Mariama and Ardayfio-Schandorf, Elizabeth. 2008. “Gendered Poverty, Migration and Livelihood Strategies of Female Porters in Accra, Ghana.” Norwegian Journal of Geography 62(3): 171-179
Awumbila, Mariama. 2007. Internal migration, vulnerability and female porters in Accra, Ghana.
Paper presented at the Population Association of America 2007 Annual Meeting. Accessed from January 2, 2008, from http://paa2007/download.aspx?submissionId=70865
Becker, Gary. 1974. “A Theory of Social Interactions.” Journal of Political Economy 82: 1063-1093 Black, Richard. and Sward, Jon. 2009. Poverty Reduction Strategies and Human Development. Human Research Paper for UNDP. Retrieved on 20-10-2013 from: hdr.undp.org/.../migration-poverty Bloom, David, Canning, David and Fink, Gunther . 2008. “Urbanization and the wealth of Nations.” Science 319: 772-775
Caldwell, John Charles. 1969. African Rural-Urban Migration: The Movement to Ghana’s Towns, Canberra, Australia: Australian National University Press.
De Haas, Hein. 2010. “Migration and development: a theoretical perspective.” International Migration Review 44(1): 22764
Diener, Edward,Christie Napa, Scollon. & Richard, Lucas .2003. “The evolving concept of subjective well-being: the multifaceted nature of happiness.” Advances in Cell Aging and Gerontology 15: 187-219
Diener, Edward. 2009. Subjective well-being. In The Science of Well-Being: The Collected Works of Ed. E. Diener (Springer, The Netherlands) 11-58
Edwards, Alejandra. & Manuelita, Ureta. 2003. “International migration, remittances, and schooling: Evidence from El Salvador.” Journal of Development Economics 72(2): 429–461.
Ghana Statistical Service (GSS). 2005. 2000 Population and Housing Census, Population Data Analysis Reports, vol. 1: Socio-economic and Demographic Accra: Ghana Statistical Service. Accessed on 20-10-2013 from www.statsghana.gov.gh/
Geographic Information Systems (GIS). 2014. Maps of Accra Metropolis. Department of Planning, GIS Laboratory, KNUST
Grigg, David .1977. “E. G. Ravenstein and the ‘laws of migration.” Journal of Historical Geography 3(1):41–54
Hagen-Zanker, Jessica & Melissa, Siegal. 2007. The Determinants of Remittances: A Review of Literature. Working Paper MGSoG/2007/WPOO3, Maastricht University, MaastrichtGraduate School of Governance
Harris, John. and Todaro, Michael. 1970.“Migration, Unemployment and Development: A Two Sector analysis.” American Economic Review 60(1): 126-142.
Housing the Masses. 2010. People’s Dialogue on Human Settlements: Final Report on Community-Led Enumeration of Old Fadama Community, Accra- Ghana, Accra, Ghana. Accessed on 20/11/2013 from: www.sdinet.org/.../2009. May3.2010.Old_Fadama_Enumeration-1_1.pdf
Jones, Richard. 1998. “Introduction: The renewed role of remittances in the New World Order.” Journal of Economic Geography, 74(1): 1–7 Kapur, Devesh. 2003. Remittances: the new development mantra. Paper prepared for the G-24 Technical Group Meeting, 15–16 September (Geneva: Palais des Nations). Retrieved on 10-02-2013 from: www.citieslocalgovernments.org/.../pbg2420045_en_en.pdf
King, Russell. 2013. Theories and Typologies of Migration: An Overview and a Primer. Willy Brandt Series of Working Papers in International Migration and Ethnic Relations. Malmo Institute for Studies of Migration, Diversity and Welfare (MIM). University of Malmo. Retrieved on 10-02-2013 from: www.mah.se/ upload/forskningscentrum/mim/wb/wb%203.12.pdf
Kwankye, Stephen; Anarfi, John; Tagoe, Cynthia and Castaldo, Adrian. 2009. Independent North-South Child Migration in Ghana: The Decision Making Process”. Sussex Centre for Migration Research Working Paper T-29. February. Kwankye, Stephen., Anarfi, John. , Addoquaye, Tagoe Cynthia & Castaldo, Adriana. 2007. Coping Strategies of Independent Child Migrants from Northern Ghana to Southern Cities Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty Working.
Paper Series, University of Sussex. Retrieved on 10-02- 2013, from: www.migrationdrc.org/publications/working_papers/WP-T23.pdf
Lartey, Ernest and Blatyne, Darko. 2011. Heath and Sanitation in Old Fadama, not a Government Priority. In Faces of Old Fadama (eds.) Western Publications. Retrieved on 10-12-2013, from: www.sdinet.org/media/upload/countries/.../ Faces_of_Old_Fadama.pdf
Lee, Everett. 1966. “A Theory of Migration.” Demography 3(1):47-57.
Lewis, Gareth. 1982. Human migration: A geographical perspective, New York, St. Martin’s Press Lucas, Robert & Oded. Stark. 1985. “Motivations to remit: Evidence from Botswana.” Journal of Political Economy 93(5): 901-18
Lucas, Robert. 2007. “Migration and rural development.” Journal of Agricultural and Development Economics 4 (1), 99-122
Mabogunje, Akin. 1970. “System approach to a theory of rural-urban migration.” Geographical Analysis 2(1):1-18
Mansuri, Ghazala. 2007. Does work migration spur investment in origin communities?
Entrepreneurship, schooling and child health in rural Pakistan’, International Migration, Economic Development & Policy, Özden, C. and M. Schiff, eds. Washington DC: World Bank.
Massey, Douglas; Arango, Joaquin, Hugo, Graeme; Kouaouci, Ali; Adela Pellegrino & Edward Taylor.
Worlds in motion: Understanding international migration at the end of the millennium. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
McKenzie, David & Rapoport, Hillel. 2007. “Network effects and the dynamics of migration and inequality: theory and evidence from Mexico.” Journal of Development Economics 84 (1):1–24.
Nabila, John. 1985. Internal Migration and regional development in Ghana, in RIPS (ed). Internal migration development in Africa, Legon, Accra. 205-223.
Naess, Siri. 1999. “Subjective Approach to Quality of Life.” Feminist Economics 5(2):115-118 New Economics Foundation. 2008. Measuring Well-being in Policy. Accessed on 10- 10 -2013 from: http://www.neweconomics.org/publications
Nowok, Beata; Van ham, Maarten; Findlay, Allan & Gayle, Vernon. 2011. Does Migration Make You Happy? A Longitudinal Study of Internal Migration and Subjective Well-Being. IZA DP No. 6140, Discussion Paper No. 6140. Accessed on10-10-2013from http://ftp.iza.org/dp6140.pdf
Oberai, Amarjit. 1978. Determinants of Rural-Urban Migration and its Implications for Rural Areas with Special Reference to ILO Research. Economic and Demographic: Issues for the Proceedings of the Conference, Volume2Helsink: International Union for Scientific Study of Population. Accessed on10-10- 2013 from:www.popline.org/node/443363
Opare, James Adu. 2003. “Kayayei: The women head porters of southern Ghana. Journal of social development in Africa 18(2):33-48
Ratha, Dilip. 2003. Workers’ remittances: an important and stable source of external development finance. In World Bank, Global Development Finance 2003, 157- 175 (Washington: World Bank).Accessed on 10-10-2013 fromwww. siteresources.worldbank.org/
Stark, Oded. 1991. The migration of labor, Oxford and Cambridge, MA: Basil Blackwell. Stark, Oded. 1995. Altruism and Beyond. Oxford and Cambridge: Basil Blackwell.
Tanle, Augustine. 2003. Rural-urban migration of females from the Wa District to Kumasi and Accra: A case Study of the Kayayei Phenomenon. Master Thesis Submitted to the Department of Geography and Tourism, University of Cape Coast. Accessed on 10-12-2013 from:www.ir.ucc.edu.gh/dspace/bitstream
Thieme, Susan. & Wyss, Simone. 2005. “Migration patterns and remittance transfer in Nepal: a case study of Sainik Basti in Western Nepal.” International Migration 43(5): 59-98.
Todaro, Michael. 1997. Economic Development. Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley.
Twumasi-Ankrah, Kwaku. 1995. “Rural-urban migration and socioeconomic development in Ghana: some discussions.” Journal of Social Development in Africa 10(2):13-22
UN-HABITAT. 2006b. State of the World’s Cities 2006/2007: The Millennium Development Goals and Urban Sustainability, Earth scan, London.
Yang, Dean. 2004. International Migration, Human Capital, and Entrepreneurship: Evidence
from Philippine Migrants’ Exchange Rate Shocks. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Yeboah, Muriel Adjubi. 2008. Gender and Livelihoods: Mapping the Economic Strategies of Porters in Accra, Ghana. PhD Dissertation, West Virginia University, Morgantown. Retrieved on 10-12-2013 from https://eidr.wvu.edu/ntdata.eTD?documentid=5755