Toward an agenda for placing Migrant Hometown Associations (HTAs) in migration policy-making discourse in Ghana

Migrant hometown associations (HTAs) are arguably the most recognizable migrant institutions in migration destination countries. As institutions for the welfare of migrants and for the development of migrant home and destination countries, migrant HTAs have engaged the attention of migration scholars for a number of reasons. Their activities straddle across different spheres of endeavours, including adjustment and integration, development, promotion of peaceful co-existence, socio-cultural empowerment, and resolution of conflicts, among others. These activities of migrant HTAs are important in achieving co-development and therefore require policy focus. While it is important to commend Ghana for initiating a process for migration policy development, the discussions and debates show no concern for placing migrant HTAs in the discourse. This paper proposes the possibility of incorporating migrant HTAs in the migration policy development discourse and argues that, giving the kind of activities migrant HTAs in Ghana and elsewhere engage in and the ways in which these associations have control over their members, the associations could serve as very useful platforms for state-migrant engagement which is essential for effective management of migration issues in the country.