Poverty and poor livelihood prospects are driving tens of thousands of young people from rural northern regions to southern cities in Ghana in the hope of achieving better jobs and greater social mobility.
However, while some are realising their ambitions, the majority face precarious living situations and uncertain work trajectories which result from the limited opportunities open to them in the informal sector. Based on evidence on young migrants in Ghana, the government needs to extend awareness campaigns to young people in the north on the risks associated with city work, and enforce laws to protect migrant workers in order to prevent their exploitation.
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