The government, through implementation agencies, has set up three
new training facilities for the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), the
Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has announced.
These facilities – Mid-Country School at Tepa; Tactical Training
School, Kyebi; and a Centre of Excellence at Odorkor, Accra, all to be
commissioned soon – as well as the ongoing procurement of
specialized vehicles, equipment and arms are part of interventions by
Government to train and equip the first line of defense of the
country’s borders to safeguard the citizens, residents and visitors to
Ghana.
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia announced these as part of
comprehensive retooling and enhancement measures for the Ghana
Immigration Service to enable it fulfil its mandate in the face of
changing dynamics in border control and crime prevention when he
reviewed the graduation parade of Cadet Intake 17 at the
Immigration Service Academy and Training School (ISATS) at Assin
Foso in the Central Region on Friday, July 21, 2023.
This is the first Officer-level passing out ceremony for the GIS since
the lifting of Covid 19 restrictions. In all, 357 Cadets received the
President’s assent to become Officers of the Ghana Immigration
Service after seven months of rigorous training in Immigration Law,
Practices and Procedures; Migration Management; Operational
Planning; Criminal Procedures; Intelligence gathering and
Investigations; Travel Document Management, Map Reading &
Navigation; French language, among others..
National Defense
“The Ghana Immigration Service is responsible for managing the
country’s borders and thus serves as the first line of defense,
ensuring that whatever comes in and goes out of our country is
monitored, including the issuance of visas to non-Ghanaians.
“The Service also plays a key role in national security, trade &
investment facilitation, tourism and for that matter national
development. You would therefore agree with me that the Service
occupies a very strategic position toward achieving peace and
security as well as economic prosperity.” the Vice President noted.
“This is a critical part of national defense, and Government on it part
will not renege on its responsibilities of providing the logistics
needed for the GIS to deliver on its mandate. I am pleased to
announce that Government has delivered its promise of procuring
arms and ammunition for the Service to boost its operations and
enhance security at the borders. Again, the GIS would be equipped
with specialized surveillance equipment, regional offices, residential
accommodation, and other critical operational logistics,” he
disclosed.
Alluding to similar provisions made for the Military and the Police, Dr
Bawumia assured that Government, in the same vein, “would
procure high-performance vehicles to support the operations of the
Ghana Immigration Service. The Service is already making important
arrests of some foreigners counterfeiting our currency and others
involved in cybercrime, thereby damaging the image of Ghana.”
Changing dynamics
Charging the leadership of the GIS to continually live up to the trust
reposed in them by Ghanaians, Dr Bawumia noted: “The
management of migration and its implications on security across the
world keeps assuming intricate dimensions with each passing day.
That notwithstanding, the benefits that accrue to the effective
management of migration cannot be underestimated.
“This is why the Government of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo believes that the GIS has to adopt a more innovative and
robust approach to managing migration in the collective interest of
the State. I know you have embraced modern technology as the
most reliable tool for reaching this goal. Evidence of this is the
implementation of technology put in place for the paperless input of
traveler’s data at the Kotoka international airport in March 2023.
“We have also seen some level of implementation of the Ghana card
as an e-passport (with the Ghana card the identity of people can be
established using their fingerprints). Ghana Missions and other
Embassies abroad will be able to establish the identity of Ghanaians
using their fingerprints. Identity can even be established without the
Ghana card as long as you have been enrolled on the database. The
Ghana card is also being linked with existing passports so that travel
history will be preserved.”
Dr Bawumia applauded the good relationship and cooperation that
has existed and evolved over the years with between the Ghana
Immigration Service and sister security agencies, which has seen
some of these agencies train their personnel at the Service’s training
facility.
“The GIS has trained the Narcotics Control Commission and National
Commission of Small Arms on two different occasions for each of the
institutions. The last training comprises seventy-nine (79) Officer
Cadets from Narcotic Control Commission and twenty-nine (29)
Officer Cadets from National Commission of Small Arms and Light
Weapons. The NACOC Officer Cadets reported on the 21st January,
2023 and graduated on the 28th April, 2023. The Small Arms and
Light Weapons officer cadets arrived at the Academy on 4th May,
2023 and graduated on the 2nd June, 2023.”
Government, Dr Bawumia assured, fully appreciates the immense
contribution of the GIS and the role it plays towards national
development, in the midst of the challenging logistical constraints.
“It is reassuring to know that the Service has mapped out a clear
strategic direction towards the achievement of its aspirations in line
with that of our dear nation, Ghana,” he added.
