THE FORMATIVE STAGE OF THE BORDER PATROL UNIT (BPU)
Experienced officers and men were selected within the Service.
These personnel numbering One hundred and fifty (150) were sent to the
Ghana Armed Forces Training center Asutuare for a two month intensive
training on weapon handling, teamwork and confidence building.
The Unit was officially inaugurated at the GIS headquarters on the 1st of November 2006 by the then Interior Minister Mr. Kan Dapaah. Since November 2006 the Border Patrol Unit has grown from a personnel of one hundred and fifty (150) to a workforce of about eight hundred (800) personnel at the end of 2008. These have been deployed to the 13 sectors where Ghana Immigration Service operates.
OBJECTIVE OF THE UNIT
The objective of the Unit is to ensure the security of all and borders,
entry and exit points including coastal areas against illegal entry and
exit by cross border criminals. In the performance of this new role of
securing the borders, the Immigration Service Border Patrol Unit is to
undertake under listed specific tasks.
i. Physical patrolling of the borders
ii. Checking of illegal migration
iii. Checking of drug /Human trafficking
iv. Checking of smuggling across the border
v. Checking animal trafficking
vi. Reporting on all forms of suspected subversive activities
vii. Preparedness to act as the first line of defense against external
aggressors for the Ghana Armed Forces
BORDER PATROL OPERATIONS
The Primary mission of the Border Patrol is detection and apprehension
of illegal aliens and smugglers of aliens at or near the land borders.
Some of the major activities include maintaining traffic checkpoints
along highways leading from border areas, conducting snap checks and
anti-smuggling operations. These activities are performed with the use of pick-up
vehicles and all purpose motorbikes.
In the performance of these duties, the Border Patrol Unit (BPU) has
intercepted and arrested a lot of smugglers. Few of the interceptions
made are recorded in the table below.
| SRL |
STATION/SECTOR |
ITEM INTERCEPTION |
QTY |
PERIOD |
REMARKS |
| 1 |
AFLAO |
Jerry cans of fuel |
50 |
March 2009 |
|
| 2 |
BAWKU |
Motorbikes |
14 |
Sept.2008 |
|
| 3 |
PAGA |
Jerry Cans Of Fuel |
83 |
1st Quater |
|
| 4 |
KULUNGUGU |
Motorbikes |
4 |
Sept.2008 |
|
| Sunwatt Batteries |
70 packets |
| Bicycle Tubes |
10 |
| 5 |
ASIKUMA JUNCTION |
Parcels Of Indian Herb |
1300 |
June 2008 |
Joint Operation between CEPS and BPU |
CHALLENGES OF THE UNIT
The Unit is faced with logistical and administrative challenges. The
major ones are
a. Lack of official and residential accommodation to house the personnel
in the sectors
b. Inadequate weapons to arm patrolmen in the performance of their
duties.
CONCLUSION
The Border Patrol Unit is still in its infant stage of development its
present challenges are expected but with determination and commitment by
the rank and file of the Service, the present challenges would surely be
a thing of the past.
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