The Interior Minister Ambrose Dery has said the coronavirus pandemic and its related health exigencies have been a wake-up call for the need to establish the Department of Health within the Operations of Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).
According to the Minister, the establishment of the Department of Health within the operation of the service will empower immigration health officers within the Border Management Department to prevent importation of infectious diseases such as coronavirus and swiftly handle health-related issues without overly depending on other agencies which mostly affect efficiency.
“The restructuring must also consider the establishment of Department of Health within the Operations of GIS. It is increasingly clear, in the context of the Covid-19 experience, that health officers within the Border Management Department will save this country a great deal. because yes, we have Port health, but most of the time while you are improving your performance you are sometimes held hostage to other agencies coming to help you, and I think developing a capacity within your service will help You should prevent the importation of infectious diseases through humans, plants, and animals into Ghana”
Nonetheless, the Minister commended the Ghana Immigration Service for its immense effort in the mass contact tracing, securing Ghana’s borders during these crucial times, and the maintenance of law and order within the country to the admiration of the international community.
Ambrose Dery stated that coronavirus is a national security threat and must be handled as such with strategic interventions and synergy of interagency approach and collaboration.
He said this at the opening ceremony of the Management and Regional Commanders Retreat in Koforidua on Friday, May 7, 2021.
Speaking to the media at the sidelines of the event, the Minister acknowledged the excellent effort of the Immigration Service in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and illegal mining but urged them to do more.
“Immigration has been doing very very well. You don’t get to know much about them because when they repatriate people, they don’t normally publish it sometimes. After all, we don’t want the diplomatic relationship to be adversely affected. In the case of what the Okyenhene said that is valid, the office in Kyebi has been empowered to do their work there, but it is not peculiar to Kyebi alone, it is all over the country and that is why we have expanded the activities of Ghana Immigration service to all Districts and Municipalities. We expect that Landlords will corporate with us.”
Mr. Kwame Asuah Takyi, the Comptroller General of Ghana Immigration Service reiterated the commitment of the service to the fight against illegal mining and safeguard Ghana’s borders against Covid-19 and terrorist infiltrations.
“Our response to transnational crimes, especially, at the entry points is very often underestimated which is arguably not the case; therefore there is an urgent need for GIS to ensure effective border security. It is for this reason that strategies have to be adopted detects, deter and prevent foreign criminal elements and illegal movements at the various borders.”
The Comptroller General although commended government for retooling the device with logistics and improving the condition of Service to staff, retirement package is nothing to write home about, therefore called for the amendment of the Immigration Service Act 908 and legislative instrument to meet the pension needs of officers when retired stating that “the current retired condition leaves much to be desire”.
The retreat seeks to address critical issues under the theme “Responding to the Evolving National Security Threats in Era of Covid-19”.
Among issues expected to have been on the table during the retreat which ended on Sunday, May 9, 2021, was the restructuring of Operations of the service, a reviewer of the status of implementation of the GIS strategic plan 2018 -2022, and others salient issues of national development.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
