IOM Ghana has been operating in Ghana since 1987, providing support to the Government of Ghana in various areas of migration. Having commenced with a small office coordinating the Return of Qualified African Nationals (RQAN) programme, the IOM mission in Ghana now has five departments: Counter-trafficking, Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration, Labour Migration, Migration Health, Operations, Technical Cooperation, Project Development, and Resource Management, with 55 staff members. IOM Ghana has conducted programme interventions in 60 out of the 170 districts of Ghana and has regional functions for movements and migration health within West and Central Africa.

The changes in migration trends throughout the years, however, necessitated a strategic approach to migration management, which resulted in the development of the IOM Ghana Strategic Plan (2011 – 2015). Formulating a strategic plan was extremely important to IOM Ghana, as it will help the organization to prioritize actions in line with government priorities and improve on its service delivery. Furthermore, this Strategic Plan is expected to assist IOM Ghana to effectively translate its vision into action, as well, exclusively contribute towards the management of migration in Ghana for the benefit of all. The launch of the Strategic Plan, which took place on 14 July 2011, also forms part of the 60th Anniversary events in commemoration of IOM’s special milestone in its history: 60 years of assisting migrants worldwide in an ever changing environment and political and social context.