Over 200,000 immigrants, mostly Nigerians, were forced to leave Ghana in Nov 1969. It caused tension between Nigeria and Ghana and is often cited when reference in Nigeria’s reciprocal expulsion of Ghanaians in 1983 during Nigeria’s own economic downturn. Are we headed for a repeat?/ Apostle Godwin Robin
In the late 1960s and early 1980s, both Ghana and Nigeria experienced significant expulsions of each other’s citizens, leading to the well-known “Ghana Must Go” phenomenon. In 1969, Ghana implemented the Aliens Compliance Order, resulting in the deportation of approximately 140,000 Nigerians. Later, in 1983, Nigeria retaliated by expelling an estimated one million Ghanaians.
The 1969 expulsion from Ghana was triggered by the Aliens Compliance Order, which required all non-Ghanaians to possess residence permits. Many Nigerian migrants, lacking proper documentation, were forced to leave the country, often with little notice. This event led to a significant wave of return migration, with Nigerians carrying their belongings in the characteristic “Ghana Must Go” bags, which subsequently became a symbol of the expulsions.
In 1983, Nigeria’s response, often referred to as the “Ghana Must Go” policy, involved the mass expulsion of Ghanaian citizens. This action was partly a reaction to the earlier expulsion from Ghana and also reflected a complex interplay of economic competition, political instability, and nativist sentiments. The large-scale deportation of Ghanaians caused considerable hardship and disruption, highlighting the challenges of migration and national identity in West Africa.