The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to removing beggars and street dwellers from major cities across Ghana.
During a working visit to the Northern Region, the minister announced that his ministry, in collaboration with security agencies, will soon launch a nationwide operation targeting five key cities, including Tamale, to rid streets of individuals engaging in begging and prostitution.
Speaking on Thursday, May 22, at the commissioning of a four-storey, 24-unit apartment block for the Ghana Immigration Service, Muntaka emphasized the government’s resolve to restore order and decency to urban streets.
He revealed that a recent swoop in Accra led to the apprehension of over 2,000 foreign beggars, nearly half of whom have already been repatriated.
He added that the remaining individuals will be processed and repatriated by the end of the week.
The minister also issued a stern warning to prostitutes operating openly on the streets, stating that they too will be removed and repatriated to their respective countries.
“The beggars are not a nuisance but a threat to our national security. By the close of this week, we should be able to finish removing all of them. I can assure the rest of them that they either return to where they are coming from, because very soon, we are coming after all of them, including the prostitutes who are parading on almost all our streets. We will not rest on our oars, we will go after them until we remove all of them”.
With Accra serving as the first phase of enforcement, the operation is expected to expand to other cities, including Kumasi and Tamale, in the coming weeks.
