As part of Government’s commitment to Security Services Transformation, the Hon. Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery handed over 30 vehicles to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) in Accra to enable the personnel discharge their mandate of regulating, and monitoring the entry, residence, employment, and exit of foreigners in Ghana effectively and efficiently.

The vehicles, which comprises 23 Toyota Land Cruisers GXR, 3 Toyota Land Cruisers Twin Turbo, 1 Toyota Land Cruiser VXS, 1 Toyota Tundra and 2 Toyota Double Cabin Pick-ups will be distributed to all the 19 Regional Commanders, Kyebi and Tepa Training Schools and Heads of key Departments of the Service. 

The Minister noted that Ghana Immigration Service is an integral part of the National Security Architecture and therefore, there is the need to resource the Service to discharge its mandate to protect the country’s borders for peace and safety of the people living in the country.

He explained that the true benefits of migration and border security can be realised if the requisite structures and logistical resources are effectively put in place by the Government.

“Border Security has become a major national security concern within the West African sub-region and Ghana is not an exception. The sophistication and increasing levels of transnational crimes including terrorism calls for urgent attention in the management of our borders,’ he added.

Hon. Ambrose Dery commended GIS for opening inland checkpoints due to recurring instability and violent terrorist activities in the Sahel regions. He, however, appealed to the public to be patient with Immigration Officers at the various Checkpoints to do their work since it is in the interest of all.

The Hon. Minister acknowledged that Government is aware of the challenges faced by the Service in the area of logistics, office and residential accommodation, among others. He assured that Government is committed to finding reasonable and realistic means of addressing the challenges so that Officers will continuously avail themselves to manage and protect the borders of the country.

He tasked the Comptroller-General of GIS to ensure that the vehicles are put to good use and properly maintained at all times for the benefit of the Service and Ghana as a whole.

The Comptroller-General, Mr. Kwame Asuah Takyi, who received the vehicles on behalf of GIS thanked the Government and the Ministry of the Interior for the gesture.

He assured of the continuous commitment of GIS to the safety of the country’s borders and promised to ensure that the vehicles are put to proper use.