Ghana Immigration Service set to establish International Immigration Centre (IIC)

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) is to establish an International Immigration Centre (IIC), the Comptroller-General of Immigration (CGI), Mr. Kwame Asuah Takyi has said.

The CGI made the disclosure when he welcomed a-nine-member Norwegian delegation to his office at the GIS Headquarters last Tuesday.

He noted “the Centre is to build the capacity of Officers and Men of the GIS and share ideas and knowledge with sister security agencies such as the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority as well as other international bodies.”

Mr. Kwame Asuah Takyi also indicated that the IIC was to aid in the fight against terrorism and other transnational organized crimes.

He called for fervent sharing of intelligence among nations and averred that it was the surest ways to avert terrorism and other crimes.

The leader of the Norwegian delegation, Mr. Berndt Korner who is the Deputy Executive Director of Frontex, an European Border and Coast Guard Agency noted that their courtesy call on the CGI was a follow-up on a Risk Analysis Centre (RAC) to be established at the GIS Headquarters.

“The RAC seeks to boost intelligence gathering in the fight against irregular migration and cross-border crimes as well as develop and share analytical products and actionable intelligence,” he added.

He stated that the gesture was to support and empower member countries of Frontex and strengthen the collaboration that existed between them with the common interest of fighting cross-border crimes. “I believe our official visit will enhance the excellent relationship that already exist between the two institutions” Mr. Berndt Korner added.

Present at the meeting were the Norwegian Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Gunnar Andreas Holm, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Immigration in-charge of Finance and Administration (DCG/F&A), Mrs. Judith Dzokoto-Lomoh, Head of Policy Planning Monitoring and Evaluation, Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI) Faisal Disu, Chief Superintendent of Immigration (CSI) John Edwin Amon Ashie