Giving the background to what informed the GIS Bill (2015), the Director of Immigration, COP (Dr.) Peter A. Wiredu, said the new Bill, seeks to re-enact, the Immigration Service Act, 1989 (PNDC Law 226) which has been in force for the past 26 years.
He continued by saying, that Regional and Sub-Regional Protocols, transformational changes in Ghana’s governance system, the compelling dictates of constitutional democracy, human rights normative requirements, and other facts such as increased foreigner attraction to Ghana as a popular tourism destination, the increasing growth of institutional staff numbers, increasing dynamics and complexities in modern migration management and control, contemporary international best practices in border management, international law, etc, have necessitated the urgent need to re-enact PNDC Law 226 of 1989, so as to be able to meet international standards.
Dr. Wiredu, further thanked the stakeholders on behalf of the GIS Board, Management and staff for the enthusiasm demonstrated in their collaboration and support for the course of the GIS. He expressed hope that the open and frank intellectual exchanges and deliberations would be fruitful and lay the foundations for the eventual passage of the GIS Bill (2015) into law – a development which is expected to mark a historical milestone in the institutional development of the GIS.
The Deputy Minister for the Interior, Hon. James Agalga thanked the stakeholders for participating in the conference and said the Ministry of Interior very much supports the passage of the Bill which seeks to expand the scope and function of the GIS especially the Border Patrol Unit (BPU).
He expressed the hope that the Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Subsidiary Legislation would give the Bill the needed support. He was quick to add that the Bill comes in handy looking at how the world is moving, it would empower the GIS to perform their functions effectively.
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior, honorable Fritz Baffuor, on his part said the conference has served as an eye opener and now appreciate the operations of the GIS and he believes his colleagues can say same.
The stakeholders at the conference comprised the representatives from the Ghana Police Service, Ministry of Defence, National Security, Ghana Revenue Authority, Attorney – General’s Department, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, a Private Legal Practitioner, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
The rest are the Deputy Minister for the Interior, Chief Director/ Interior, Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Subsidiary Legislation and Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior.
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