Actual report in draft.

until it completion this summary/proposal is provided

Research Summary

The Socio-Economic Effects of Emigration Rural Communities in Ghana:

A Case Study of Amanokrom

Shange Petrini

University of California, Los Angeles

University of Ghana, ISSER

Background:

            This study is part of a more comprehensive thesis project that compares and analyses emigrations from Nigeria and Ghana to Italy and the United Kingdom.  Qualitative analysis (literature review, official data collection, in-depth interviews with migrants and experts and direct observations) in London and Verona was completed over the summer.  That part of the study looked at the socio-economic (social, racial, economic and legal) conditions in which migrants from these areas find themselves and how they cope with these conditions to achieve their goals.

            Some of the key questions in this study regarding development and the end effects of migration, or the successes of migrants in achieving their goals, can only be satisfied in taking an in-depth look at the source communities.  In making this a case study we are able maintain the original intent of the study to be a qualitative, in-depth analysis of the issues.

            Amanokrom has been chosen from a list of suggestions from researchers of migration and demography at the Institute of Social, Statistical and Economic Research.  Each of the sites were compared and Amanokrom was chosen on the basis of the number of emigrants from the community, the levels of development had by remittances from these emigrants and the overall feasibility factors for study in each community.

Issue:

            In the late twentieth century there began considerable migrations from Ghana in order to earn a living to support their families at home.  These numbers have exponentially increased through the century.  There has been much debate over the effects of this migration on the societies of the receiving countries, but little investigation has been made into the effects that remittances and emigration can have on the sending communities of rural Ghana.

            There have been a number of studies that have shown evidence that remittances and emigration have no positive effect on the sending communities of the emigrants.  Money sent has often been used for immediate consumption and not used in productive investment or for purchase of durable, productive goods.  Some studies have tried to view migration from a macro national and international scope and have resulted in overgeneralizations and unspecific conclusion, as is to be expected by the limits of national analysis that exist in doing research in a developing country.  While other studies (such as the transrede project of U of Sussex, to which this study is a partial response) have concentrated on elite travelers, have made key theoretical assumptions which are, in my own opinion, problematic and have ignored the real effects that emigration has on non-migrating populations.

Purpose:

            This study will be dedicated to understanding some of the effects that remittances and emigration in general can have on life here in Ghana.  Because of the short time and limited resources provided, and because of the need for this study to understand the effects on a whole community, we must be able to choose a community that can be accurately and sufficiently assessed, i.e. a small community.  Because there is generally a more traditional culture in small villages, the socio-economic effects of international emigration should be more obvious and therefore easier to identify.  Since incentives for emigration are economical and development is understood in economic terms, this study will concentrate on evaluating the economic conditions of a sizable sample of the village.  Because resources are distributed according to households, this should be the relevant unit for analysis.

Definitions of terms:

            In brief, the terms used in this study are consistent with those used in most sociological and demographic studies of migration.  But the terms used here will have certain assumption of their usage in addressing the particular issues and purposes of this study.  By migrant, it is to be understood that we will be referring to international migrants who travel to other countries for purposes other than tourism.  An emigrant is one who leaves, in the context of the sending community, and an immigrant is the individual who arrives in a host country.  In order to also include the great number of migrants who are not present in the community at time of the survey into the analysis of the study, information will be collected of them through a competent informant such as spouse or parent, or by proxy.  Remittances are obviously that of value which is sent by the emigrant to the sending community.  But in this study we will be more specific in calling all non-currency remittances gifts and reserve remittances for currency sent via bank or otherwise to the sending community.  A household is understood as a family or definable group living within the same immediate living quarters on a permanent or long term basis.  The head of the household is the individual in charge of the activities in that household, as identified as such by a majority of the members of that unit.

Primary Research Question and Hypotheses:

            As part of the central purpose of this study, efforts will be made to discover if the factors inherent in emigration have positive or negative effects on the society of rural Ghana, what those social and economic effects are, whether they effectively encourage development and if these vary according to the destination of the remitting migrant.

            Discussion and justification for the hypotheses of this study will not be exhausted here, but can be had on request from a previous document produced for the purpose[1].  But these hypotheses will be listed here notwithstanding the lack of this excersize.

Hypothesis 1: Ghanaian migrants have started to return home and emigrate less because of the relative economic and political stability that has started to establish in their country.  Test: Statistical data from census offices and population reports in Ghana will be analyzed.

Hypothesis 2: In addition to the effects of remittances, migrant have a tremendous positive effect on their home communities by initiating development projects and initiatives that accelerate economic growth in their home communities. Test: Interviews, qualitative observation, project data from African Foundation for Development and traditional and modern local governing bodies.  Assessment of development projects in target communities.

Hypothesis 3: Families have become reliant on remittances as an income source and use this income for primarily consumer goods.  Remittances are distributed within the kin group only.  Remittances cause inflation in the migrant sending communities.  Test: Interviews and qualitative data analysis of households and the community of the town.  Longitudinal and comparative analysis, if possible.

Hypothesis 4: Travel to the north, receipt of gifts remitted from those markets and the raise of incomes from remittances increase the demand for import goods.  Test: data from survey.

Hypothesis 5: Notwithstanding the hypothesis 3, there are some positive externalities to the community as a whole resulting from remittances.  Test: data from survey.  Qualitative interviews and direct observation.

Hypothesis 6: The number of individuals from the community that have emigrated encourages further emigration and their relations with their home provides a medium for cultural transfers and enculturation (westernization).  Test: Qualitative observation, interviews.

Notes on Methodology and Research Design:

            The structure of the approach will be based on the above hypotheses, bu the study will be highly qualitative in nature and therefore reflexive.  Efforts will be made so that they laying-out of these hypotheses will not restrict the inductive, descriptive nature to this study, although by the strict definition of it, this has already been precluded.  Nevertheless, a truly deductive approach cannot be possible due to the paucity of research pursued on this particular topic.  The unit of analysis will be the household, the venue Amanokrom.  The quantitative part of the study will use systematic random sampling to select households in the town to approach for an interview.  The head of household or likely, responsible informant will respond to the survey instrument regarding the household in general, then will also respond to another questionnaire prepared for the individual as a migrant or non-migrant.  As there are about 570 households in Amanokrom (ADADD), a sample of about 100 households should be sufficient enough for generalizability.

            As with previous studies conducted in the area (Dodowa by NIDI), complications and problems in conducting the study are expected to arise.  Some of these include a request for a reward or compensation for the interview, hostility and mistrust, and language difficulties.  Care will be taken in training to prepare the fieldworkers to address these issues in a way that will not interfere with the study.

Ethics:

            The personal information from data collection relevant to specific individuals in the host or migrant receiving communities will not be provided to any government agency or any other individual or entity, even upon demand (when it is legally feasible to resist).  The identities of all individuals will be protected and not included in any level of data analysis or reporting.  Participation by all individuals will be voluntary and non-enumerated.  No direct advice will be given to members of the community relevant to migration law or policies (but they can be referred to the resources for such information).  Information about migrants will not be shared with their families, unless permission is given, et vice versa.  The final write up of this study will be made available to the members of the community (both collectively and individually, if specifically requested).

  Bibliography

Richard H. Adams, Jr. “Remittances, Inequality and Asset Accumulation: the Case of Rural Pakistan.” Development Strategy, Employment and Migration. OECD, 1996.

Adepoju, Aderanti. “Links between internal and international migration: the African Situation.” International Migration Today. v. 1.UNESCO, 1988.

African Foundation for Development. Globalization and Development: a Diaspora Dimension. AFFORD, 2001.

Akuapem District Assembly Development Department. Various Documents.

Savina Ammassari, Richard Black. Harnessing Migration Potential for Development in West Africa. Sussex University Migration Working Papers, May 2001.

J.K. Anarfi, K. Awusabo-Asare, NNN Nsowah-Nuamah. Push and Pull Factors of International Migration: Country Report Ghana. European Commission, NIDI and ISSER, 2000.

Beth J. Asch. Emigration and its Effects on the Sending Country. RAND, Santa Monica: 1994.

Borchardt, Ulrike. Immigrants as Actors of Development and Bridges Between Cultures. March 17-21, 1988. Conference proceedings, International Studies Association.

WTS Gould. Africa and International Migration. Working Paper no 16 of the Africa Population Mobility Project. University of Liverpool, 1974.

Sergio Ricca. International Migration in Africa: Legal and Administrative Aspects. ILO, Geneva, 1989.

B. Korbla Treveh. Determinants of International Migration Decisions in Ghana in Contemporary Times. Unpublished MA thesis, University of Ghana, 2000.

PA Twumasi. Social Research in Rural Communities. 2^nd ed. Ghana University Press, 2001.

KA Twum-Bahh, JS Nabila, AF Aryee. Migration Reserch Study in Ghana, v 2: International Migration. Ghana Statistical Service, 1995.