About 2.5 billion dollars is expected to be injected into the security and intelligence agencies between now and the next two years, the Minister of National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, has said.
He said the financial resource would be spent on retooling the agencies and providing other needs in order to make them more effective in safeguarding the country’s security and peace.
He was speaking at the opening of a workshop in Accra yesterday to sensitise immigration management committee members and regional commanders of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) on Ghana’s new National Security Strategy.
The strategy document was launched on June 7, 2021 by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as part of measures to co-ordinate a national response effort to protect and safeguard the country from threats, risks, challenges to its security, and stability from both the domestic and international environments.
Mr Kan-Dapaah said the GIS, for instance, lacked equipment and logistics that render them incapable of manning approved and known unapproved routes along the country’s borders.
He said the full implementation of the National Security Strategy would, therefore, address these challenges and ensure they were adequately resourced and fully equipped to effectively manage immigration.
The GIS, he said, remained key to the success of the new National Security strategy and urged members of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to be abreast of the spirit and letter of the National Security Strategy.
Commending the GIS for its dedication, he noted that “without dedication and an unyielding attitude against corruption by officers of the Ghana Immigration Service, the goal of safeguarding Ghana’s borders against infiltration by criminals shall remain a façade.”
The Deputy Minister for The Interior, NaanaEyiah, said collective efforts by the security agencies were yielding enough gains and continues to make Ghana a better place for business, investment, tourism and education.
She, therefore, urged the GIS to ensure an effective border management that will enhance Ghana’s security and enable travel and trade for development, stating that the government was determined to improve on their operations.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kwame Asuah Takyi, said there was the need for collaboration between security agencies to be effective at the country’s borders and implement the strategy.
He said the Fusion Centre where information from all agencies were collated, analysed and shared amongst the agencies had helped to intercept thousands of contrabands and arrest immigrants.
Currently at the Northern Frontier of our borders, there is a collaboration of the security agencies including the Ghana Army to prevent the overflow of terrorism from our Northern neighbor into Ghana.
“If Ghana will continue to be that oasis of peace within the sub-region then it behooves on all, both security and citizens to strictly adhere to this strategy,” he said.
BY JONATHAN DONKOR AND CONNIELOVE DZODZEGBE
