Immigration boss storms Ellubo to engage Senior Officers on border security

The Western Regional Commander of the Ghana Immigration Service, DCI/Dr. Prosper P.D. Asima, on February 19, 2021, paid an unannounced working visit to the Elubo Sector to apprise himself of the prevailing border security situation in the area.

Such visits, he observed, have become part of his routine strategy to ensure that the Western part of the country which shares borders with the Ivory Coast, is completely sealed off from insecurity activities.

This is in full compliance with the president’s directive on border closure in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.

A press release issued and signed by ASI/ Milicent A. A Wuntumi,

Western Region Public Affairs Officer of the Ghana Immigration Service, noted that "On such occasions, he takes the opportunity to boost the morale of officers and, also to share ideas with commanders/ of sister security agencies and other stakeholders involved in our collective resolve to secure our Western Borders."

On his arrival, the Elubo Sector Commander, Chief Superintendent Joshua Krakue, informed the Regional Commander, that, all the necessary security measures have been put in place together with the Elubo Border Security Committee (BORDSEC) to deter and to arrest all recalcitrant travellers who may out of desperation resort to the use of some of the unapproved routes.

He maintained that his officers together with those deployed from other commands within the region have since the closure of the borders sustained 24-hourly patrols/surveillance at both the main Elubo border and all the identified unapproved routes within his jurisdiction.

The following additional security measures have also been intensified;

- Increased number of officers on daily patrols.

- Constantly engaging the membership of BORDSEC to evaluate their border security operational strategies.

- Courting the support of the chiefs/elders of the surrounding communities and transport operators to impress upon their people to collaborate by providing useful information for prompt action.

He recounted among other challenges that, intelligence has unveiled a cabal of canoe operators and their counterpart drivers, who have been contriving to outwit the operations of the security agencies.

"They do this by taking money from some recalcitrant travellers with the intention of ferrying them across the River Tano and assured their arrest and prosecution soon," he said.

That notwithstanding, he affirmed their fullest commitment to the president’s decision to extend the closure of the land borders, as a measure towards preventing further importation of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially through our Western Borders.

The Regional Commander also met briefly, with some of the Elubo Border Security Management Committee members, and to commend them individually for their dedication and commitment to the course of this country.

At a durbar, the Commander said he was pleased with their community engagement strategies and urged them to deepen such collaborations because “security is a shared responsibility” and must be embraced by all.

He further reiterated the appreciation of the Comptroller-General and the management of the GIS, as well as the Regional Command for their resilience and dedication to duty in these trying times.

According to the Regional Commander, “a closure means a closure, and so they should continue to enforce the directives to the letter”.

He, however, did not mince words in addressing some of the recent media reportage on some alleged misconduct by a few selfish officers and warned them to refrain from such unacceptable behaviour.

According to the Regional Commander, this goes to the heart of possibly demotivating their hard-working colleagues, embarrassing the Service, and also derailing gains made so far, by reducing public interest in the good work we are doing.

In addition, the Regional Commander, admonished senior officers present to make sure that, the mandate and the values (Professionalism, Integrity, Human Rights and Learning Organization) of GIS, are religiously applied at all material times by the rank and file, especially in the discharge of their duties.

Since the beginning of 2021, the Elubo Sector Command refused entry to 2015 persons to Ghana and refused departure to 218 to Cote D’Ivoire. All those intercepted coming have been repatriated.

It is in this regard that, the Western Regional Command, through this release, appeals to the good people of the Western Region, our key stakeholders and the nation at large, to continually support the efforts of the GIS to effectively secure our borders, in the supreme interest of Mother Ghana.