Coronavirus: GIS assesses Elubo border and some unapproved routes

The Western Regional Commander of the Ghana Immigration Service, DCI/Dr. Prosper Prince Delali Asima, has visited the Elubo Border and some identified unapproved routes to ascertain compliance since the President's Directives.

The visit is one of the strategic tactics being deployed by the Western Regional Command of GIS, to ensure continuous display of professionalism and compliance by all officers, to the president’s directives and all the travel/health advisory protocols, in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic.

The President in his third address of the nation on the COVID 19, ordered border closure among others access routes to the country in the advent of the Coronavirus and Elubo border which link the western part of the country with Ivory Coast, was not to be left out.

The Elubo Sector Commander, Chief Superintendent Ahmed Musah, informed the Regional Commander on arrival that officers in the area were on high alert since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and the subsequent closure of the Country’s Borders due to the possible importation of the virus particularly through unapproved routes.

According to him, all the necessary security measures were put in place together with the Elubo Border Security Committee (BOSEC) to deter and possibly arrest all recalcitrant travelers who may out of desperation resort to the use of some of the unapproved routes.

Strategies adopted he said, included; a 24-hour patrol and surveillance at the main border and all the identified unapproved routes within the surrounding communities, increased number of officers on daily patrols, engagement with the membership of BOSEC to evaluate their border management operational strategies and the support of the chiefs and the elders of the community to collaborate and provide useful information for prompt action.

The Sector Commander narrated how a recent fire outbreak also ravaged some of the key offices of the Sector and the debilitating effect it was having on their operations at the command.

Chief Supt Mukesh said, despite the difficulties as a result of the fire, the sector was committed to the president’s directives and the strict adherence to the advice by the health professionals to protect the citizenry against the covid-19 pandemic.

DCI/Dr. Asima, commended them for their dedication and commitment to the course of the country and assured them of the fullest support from the Comptroller-General and the management of the GIS.

The Commander, was pleased with their community engagement strategy as well.

The Regional Commander also interacted with officers deployed to man unapproved routes at communities such as Ghana Nungua and Coco town to show his appreciation for their resilience and dedication to duty in the hard times.

He said, “A closure means a closure, so we should enforce the directives to the latter”.

Some of the community members and officers, from sister security agencies, were also engaged at various points enroute to some of the unapproved routes, and equally pledged to cooperative with the Elubo Sector Command of GIS, as their contribution towards preventing the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the Western Region.

The Regional Commander therefore reassured the Region of adequate security operational measures put in place, to prevent the possible importation of coronavirus through any of the points of entry.