Purpose: The thesis critically reflects on the economic impacts of the covid-19
pandemic on migration and mobility among the youth in Africa in terms of labor market mobility, exacerbating inequalities, and impoverishing economic wellbeing. It unearthed how these grand impacts ballooned into mental health issues and possible national security concerns.
Methods: Mixed research methods was used. It enables the strength(s) of each method—QUAL, Quan—to compensate the weakness(es) of the other. In terms of research design, the concurrent embedded strategy of mixed research methods was deployed. Both QUAL and Quan data collection and analysis was done simultaneously. However, the secondary method (Quan) is embedded within the principal method (QUAL). For data analysis approaches, thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used for the QUAL and Quan aspect respectively.
Findings: I discovered that the patterns of migration and mobility in Ghana have been affected greatly by the pandemic. The changing migratory/mobility patterns snowballed to influence labor market participation as well as economic wellbeing of people. Besides, inequalities—both in labor market, educational and other milieu— have been intensified with the advent of the pandemic. Coupled with the above obvious impacts of the corona crisis in Ghana, mental health problems and national security concerns were other indirect effects of the pandemic this thesis uncovered.