Ghana becoming haven for foreign criminals – Immigration boss laments

The Deputy Comptroller of Immigration (DCGI) in-charge of Command Post and Operations is worried that migrant crime in the country is on the ascendency.

Laud Kwesi Affrifah says Ghana is on the verge of becoming a criminal haven for foreigners and is, therefore, urging officers of the Services to “sit up and make our country safer.”

He made the statement in an interaction with officers of the GIS who are currently undergoing counter-terrorism training in Huhunya in the Eastern Region.

The visit, under the directive of the Comptroller-General of Immigration, was to find out how the officers were faring and to also boost their morale.

Mr Affrifah said the face of security in the country has changed requiring a joint and collaborative effort of all state security institutions.

“The concept is a joint security approach,” he said.

He explained that with the joint security approach, the mandate of GIS is not only to manage migration in the country but also contribute to national security.

According to him, Services would lead in patrolling the borders of Ghana with the support of the Ghana Police Service and Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) as well as the military.

“Similarly, when it comes to internal control which is led by the Ghana Police Service, it will be supported by the Military and also the Ghana Immigration Service,” he added.

The DCGI further explained that the support and collaboration which was a part of a national border security strategy under the Security Governance Initiative (SGI) had the border security, cyber fraud and maritime components.

Commander of the Counter-Terrorism Enactment and Concentration Camp, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Raymond Adofiem, explained that the training programme had been tailored and simulated to meet the exigencies of the time and the happenings at the various entry points of the country.

“The settings we have here are somewhat similar to that of what we have at the borders,” he added.

“Two days ago, the Officers underwent a simulated exercise on how to access and combat activities of terrorists and other cross border crimes at the Elubo, Paga and Aflao borders,” he noted.

He indicated that the Officers were fit and ready to tackle head-on crimes and its related activities. “They have been imbued with absolute discipline and if they should misbehave, it is not the men but it is the command,” he stressed.

The DCGI was accompanied by the Head of Border Management Department, Commissioner Isaac Owusu Mensah, Head of Border Patrol Unit (BPU), Chief Supt. Joshua Kreku, Deputy Head of Training, Chief Supt. Daniel Debrah, Head of Public Affairs, Supt. Michael Amoako-Atta and Supt. Esther Hogan of the BPU.

The purpose of this first-ever training is to enhance the combat fitness, shooting skills, willpower and speed among others of Officers who would form the nucleus of the newly created Rapid Response Unit.