Ambrose Dery
Plans are afoot to make the issuance of visas
at Ghana’s Diplomatic Missions abroad the sole responsibility of the Ghana
Immigration Service (GIS).
Interior Minister, Hon. Ambrose Dery made the
remark in response to concerns raised by the Immigration Service Council (ISC)
when the latter paid a courtesy call on him.
He indicated that both the Ministries of
Foreign Affairs and the Interior had concluded decisions on the approach, and
were working on the rollout.
The successful implementation of this
decision, he said, would be in fulfillment of the Immigration Service Act 908
of 2016.
“However, the takeover of the issuance of
visas from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be gradual and in phases,” he
explained.
To the Minister, the GIS has the functional
capacity and technical expertise to provide seamless visa services including
detection of fake travel documents, among others. “Certainly, the issuance of
visas at Missions abroad by an immigration body has been the standard practice
across the globe,” he stated.
He lauded the Council for the tangible
transformation the GIS was experiencing as results of exemplary leadership
being exhibited by its members.
He averred that the growing terrorism threats
in neighboring countries was an indication of the crucial role the GIS had to
play as the first line of defense, adding that, the recent attack on a church
in Burkina Faso was a sign of changes needed in the dynamics of migration
management.
The Minister, therefore, called on the GIS to
step-up its role in intelligence gathering and the patrolling of the borders of
the country.
He assured the Council of government’s
commitment at equipping personnel of the GIS with the needed resources to
enhance their operational activities. “Although there have been great
improvement in infrastructure and logistics since Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
took office as President, the government is still not content with the current
state of affairs in the GIS, and so, plans are in place to provide the GIS not
only with resources but also retool the GIS to meet the exigencies of the time
in migration management,” he noted.
Dery commended the GIS for the improvement in
relationship and strengthening of collaboration with sister security agencies
such as the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Ghana
Police Service. This he said would engender effective intelligence sharing
among the security agencies to enhance the provision of security in the
country.
The chairman of the Immigration Service
Council (ISC), Dr. Edward Prempeh on his part, underscored the urgent need to
arm personnel of the GIS to enable them confront border crimes with needed
ruthlessness. “The current situation at the borders poses a great risk without
firearms,” he said.
He noted that the takeover of the issuance of visas at Ghana’s Missions abroad by the GIS would significantly improve on the monitoring and control of the current visa regime whiles contributing to national security.
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