The youth in Nkoranza area have been advised to take their studies seriously to enable them to acquire skills and knowledge required for national development instead of seeking to get rich overnight.   

Reverend Peprah Twumasi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Scholars In Transit, a non-government organisation (NGO), who made the call, expressed worry that the youth preferred travelling to Libya, Italy, Spain and other countries in search of greener pastures to going to school.   

He was addressing members of the "Sweet Home Campaigners Association" of Nkoranza, at a meeting they held with a visiting delegation of the Centre for Migration Studies of the University of Ghana in Nkoranza.   

Rev. Peprah said the Association would discourage the youth of the area from embarking on illegal migration to others.   

He advised parents to stop supporting their children financially to travel outside Ghana and invest in their education.   

Rev. Peprah commended the Nkroranza Local Council of Churches for discouraging the youth against illegal migration.   

Dr. Mariama Awombila, a lecturer at the Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana, said that the visit was to enable the delegation to collect data on challenges that compelled the youth in Nkoranza to undertake risky journeys to other countries.   

She said that the data would be presented to government and the diplomatic communities for study to enable them to initiate measures to enhance legal migration and save the lives of the youth who perish through illegal migration.   

Dr. Awombila called on government to initiate policies to improve the socio-economic conditions of the people to prevent the youth from undertaking illegal trips to other countries to seek wealth.   

Mr. Andrew Fleming, First Secretary, Migration Policy of West Africa, said that the British High Commission has since 2007 been working with civil societies in Ghana and other countries in West Africa to identify and address causes of illegal migration.   

He advised the youth who intended to acquire visas to be very honest in the declaration of their statements and the processing of documents.

GNA

PF