The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Seth Acheampong, has urged the governing council of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to help develop immigration policies to tackle threats posed by the influx of foreign nationals into the country.
He said some West African migrants, who did not have any national identity to facilitate tracing their country of origin, were brought to Ghana by QNET, a network marketing company.
“One of the challenges we are facing is the threat of migrants from neighbouring countries and because of the Economic Communityof West African States (ECOWAS) protocol, we are not able to repatriate them immediately when they arrive in the country,” he said.
Addressing a three-day orientation for the newly inaugurated governing council of the GIS, in Koforidua, last Friday, Mr Acheampong said “Most of the people we are chasing out of the capital are finding their way into the Eastern Region.”
He explained thatit was because “we are the next door and they come in and hide in accommodations which are not so much visible in urban areas. So, these are major challenges and concern to us.”
The event was aimed at broadening the understanding and knowledge of members of the council on critical issues confronting the GIS, to help bring their experience to bear in achieving the mandate of the GIS.
In a speech read on her behalf by Mrs Adelaide Anno-Kumi, Chief Director of the Ministry of The Interior, the Deputy Minister of Interior, NaanaEyiahQuansah, urged the members of the governing council to support the GIS to achieve its goals and continue the good work that had already been established.
“As council members, it is expected of you to play your strategic roles by coming out with policy issues that could move the service to the next level,” she said.
The Comptroller-General of the GIS, Mr Kwame AsuahTakyi, said to enable the management of the service achieve its mandate, there was the need for personnel to work together.
He asked the council to tackle issues affecting the GIS, including review of act and legislative instruments, promotion, gratuities of retired officers and other conditions of service.
The Chairman of the GIS Governing Council, Dr Edward Prempeh, said his outfit would work with the sector minister to ensure the formulation of policies for the effective management of the service.
“I wish to assure the Minister of The Interior and Comptroller General that the new council under my tenure shall not relent on its efforts to do much more to better the gains of the service,” he said.
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA
