No one should be deceived to be automatically accorded a refugee or asylum status on entry into Germany. It may be a smuggling business. All human smugglers are simply dangerous, callous, and just out there to extort money from poor, ignorant, and desperate migrants. Their victims, who are desperate illegal migrants, may become beggars, forced into sham marriages, pornography, prostitution, and drug peddling.

There is no other way to migrate to Germany besides obtaining a valid visa. No cruise ship nor truck can drop you legally in Germany. Connection men who claim to secure visas for migrants are fraudsters! Even religious organisations and personalities can be human smuggling for selfish gains. However, there are communities of well-intentioned people like diaspora groups and non-governmental organisations, who advise how to travel to Germany safely or how to stay longer there.

Dangers of illegal stay/overstay in Europe include:

• forced deportation with a ban from entering Europe for a long period,
• vulnerability to exploitation and extortion, and
• blocked access to education, healthcare, decent housing, social benefits or legal protection.

Reliable information on economic opportunities at home, or reliable ways to migrate to Germany legally and returning home voluntarily exist and accessible to everyone willing. Such information can be obtained for instance at the Migration advice centres in Ghana and other countries. Diaspora must endeavour to acquire and return home with some skills to support setting up back home.

New migrants are encouraged to consider the SMART migration framework (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based) when deciding to migrate. Smart is a model for deciding and planning concretely and factually before embarking on a journey.