Deportation And Reintegration: Challenges And Coping Strategies Among Deportees in The Nkoranza Municipality of Ghana

ABSTRACT

Given the rising number of deportees in Africa and Ghana in particular, this study explored the challenges and coping strategies among deportees in the Nkoranza Municipality in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. The objectives of the study were to (a) find out why deportees in Nkoranza returned to Ghana (b) investigate the challenges faced by deportees (c) identify the coping strategies adopted by deportees and (d) ascertain the support services that are available for deportees. Using a qualitative research design, twenty-five participants (twenty-four males and one female) were purposively recruited for the study. In-depth interviews (IDIs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted to gather data for the study and thematic network was used to analyse the data. The findings of the study indicated that many of the deportees experienced difficulties in accessing jobs, faced health challenges and lost assets that could have been used to facilitate their reintegration. Additionally, other challenges identified were negative societal perceptions about deportees and poor deportee-community relationship. Furthermore, the findings indicated that there were support services provided by government and nongovernmental organizations for deportees, but majority of the deportees had no information on these support services and therefore could not access them. Furthermore, the study revealed that participants used both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies to deal with their challenges. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that immigration officers develop strategies to regulate the movement of Ghanaian nationals in and out of the country. In addition, implications are discussed for policy, social work practice and further research