Let’s institute measures to minimise border tensions, increase surveillance in W/A – Interior Minister
The Minister for the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery has advocated the need for neighbouring countries to institute effective border management systems to minimise border tensions and increase joint enforcement and surveillance in the West African Sub-Region.
That, he said, would help decrease organised crime by syndicates and traffickers, and promote common border understanding.
Mr Dery said this during the opening of the Regional Conference on International Cooperation on Border Management and Security in Accra yesterday.
The conference organised under the “Strengthening Border Security in Ghana (SBS Ghana) Project” and being implemented by the International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) was funded by European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.
It was in collaboration with GhanaImmigration Service (GIS)and aimed at proposing policy solutions to strengthen coordination and cooperation at the operational level in cross-border areas.
Mr Dery said the decrease in human trafficking and organised crime would promote movement of goods and people in the regional and continental integration.
“We also need effective border management systems which integrate and develop marginalised border areas through the provision of essential infrastructure and promotion of a sense of security, and wellbeing among the border population, enhance communication and information exchange between ourselves,” he added.
The Minister said threats impacting our border security were from cross-border crimes, smuggling, transnational criminal organisations, human trafficking, exacerbated the lack of collaboration, coordination, and lapses in the integrity and transparency of operations.
He said through the Security Governance Initiative (SGI), the Government of Ghana had established a National Border Security Technical Working Group (NBSTWG) to work with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Advisor and experts to address and resolve the challenges.
“As a matter of fact, the team has undertaken many constructive steps. Several joint security operations have also been undertaken between Ghana, Togo, Cote D’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Kenya,” he stated.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley AyorkorBotchwayin a speech read on her behalf said the intensification of the activities of terrorists in sub-regions made it imperative for the government of Ghana, Togo, Cote d’ I’voire and Burkina Faso to harmonise the operations of boarder security agencies of the various countries.
“The call for this harmonisation of operations of border security and allied agencies between our noble counties is more urgent now than ever before, given that, the current boarder security threats and crimes are facilitated by the use of improve technology, the use of internet and mobile phones as well as the involvement of a complex network of persons across borders.,” she added
MsBotchway called for active collaboration of stakeholders to help curb the activities of these unrepentant detractors adding that “government is committed to strengthening and improving security at all borders post in the country to curb borders crimes.”
“I am confident that this conference will further provide platforms to kick-start the recovery process and economic transformation of our economy and to elaborate on the provision of Africa Continental Free Trade Area initiative to up lift the fortunes of our counties in the face of the challenges posed by the COVID-19,” she said.
BY VIVIAN ARTHUR AND CECILIA LAGBA
