Immigration denies panic departures story

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has denied media reports people are leaving the country for fear that violence could erupt after Thursday, August 29, 2013 ruling by the Supreme Court on the landmark election petition engineered by three leading members of the New Patriotic Party. Recant

According to the Service, statistics available to them on arrival and departure of people in the country from the beginning to the middle of the third quarter of this year does not suggest any unusual movements across Ghana’s borders.

In a press statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs of the Ghana Immigration Service, ACOI Francis Pamdeti, the service said “It is normal for an increased number of people to travel from June to September every year because of summer holidays. During this period, most expatriates travel with their children to spend their holidays abroad.”

“It is also significant to mention that, one major airline operating in the Country intends to cease plying the Ghana route from next month. It is, therefore, reasonable that persons who wish to travel on a return journey and would have travelled on the said flight would now opt for an airline which would be flying to Ghana in September. Other Airlines are, therefore, likely to benefit from this situation by way of increased sales,” the statement added.

The GIS noted that the mere fact that flights flying outside the country are full or have been fully booked that not mean people are leaving the country because of “fear of violence after the Supreme Court verdict on the 29th August, 2013.”

The statement went on to say “In our analysis of border activity, we do not only consider the Kotoka International Airport but all our approved entry/exit points numbering forty-three [43] including Aflao, Elubo and Paga.”

“For the avoidance of doubt and for the records, our observation of situational reports submitted from all our entry points do not point to any unusual or significant movement of people which should raise any concerns for the GIS or National Security.”

Meanwhile, the GIS said it is closely monitoring the movement of persons across the key entry/exit points throughout the Country.