IMMIGRATION ON THE ALERT AGAINST CROSS-BORDER CRIME

Five hindered and sixty-one recruits passed out from the Ghana immigration training school at Assin Fosu in the Central region last Friday. The Deputy Director of immigration in charge of operations. Mr. Moses K. Gyamfi who reviewed the parade reiterated the determination of the sister-security agencies to provide security , particularly  at the borders. He said in recent times cross border crimes, including smuggling of goods, human and drug trafficking, as well as "the increasing attempts by all manner of miscreants to enter the country have been on the increase."

Aware of such threats, he said, the service has developed and put the necessary strategies in place to deal effectively with such perpetrators. Mr. Gyamfi noted that the GIS had since 2006, deployed a sizeable number of personnel to patrol and safeguard the approved and unapproved routes into the country, and also strengthen immigration control at the borders.

He said the proliferation of illicit small arms and  light weapons across the borders, the violence it engenders and its implication on the nation's security was of concern  to them as immigration officers. According to him there were at least 220,000 small arms in civilians' hands in the country, adding that recent experience in the sub-region and beyond  provided justification for preventive initiatives.

Mr. Gyamfi, therefore entreated the recruits to join other immigration officers to device to appropriate measures to arrest this phenomenon at the borders by gathering the necessary intelligence reports and also alerting and collaborating with the appropriate sister-security agencies to apprehend the culprits. he said that the primary role of immigration services, as a frontline agency in ensuring government 's developmental agenda, puts the services in a  critical brackets of state institution

this he said, therefore required the personnel to live above reproach and make national interest paramount in the discharge  of their duties. "note that the guiding principle in your activities should all times be 'Ghana first' and I hope that you will live up to the motto of the GIS which states friendship with Vigilance". the oath  of the service was administered by the commanding officer of the school, Assistant Comptroller of Immigration Major (rtd) M.K h Oppong. The overall best recruit went to Isaac Amankwaah        

  (GHANAIAN TIMES MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16,2003)     

                                                                                                                       BACK TO MAIN ||>>>