Updating Parliament on Thursday, November 20, the Minister revealed that a total of 388 Ghanaians had been detained in the U.S. this year on immigration-related grounds.

He explained that 120 of them are awaiting decisions from the Board of Immigration Appeals, while 49 have exhausted all legal processes and are pending final deportation arrangements.

“According to the Ministry’s records, 169 Ghanaians have been deported to Ghana since January 2025. Of this number, 90 arrived unaccompanied on commercial flights, while 66 were returned on chartered flights supervised by ICE agents,” he said.

Mr. Ablakwa emphasized that Ghana has not requested any financial, logistical, or material support from the United States in connection with the deportations.

Responding to questions from MPs, he stressed that the cooperation is based solely on humanitarian grounds.

“The government of Ghana has not requested any monetary support, logistical support, or material support for this intervention. We are Pan-Africanists. These are fellow West Africans in distress, being detained and treated without dignity, and we cannot look on as Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana,” he stated.

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At the hearing on Thursday, September 4, prosecutors informed the court that the Ghana Police Service needed more time and specialised gadgets to advance investigations.

They confirmed that a court order had been secured to facilitate the process and prayed that the suspects, Bright Aweh and Thomas Ziggah, remain in custody.

Counsel for the suspects, Gordon Aboagye, raised concerns over the conditions under which they are being held.

He argued that in line with democratic principles, families of the suspects should be aware of their location to enable visitation.

He further appealed to the bereaved family to remain calm and allow the law to take its course. He commiserated with them for their loss.

The court urged members of the family of the late officer to remain respectful and patient, assuring them that justice would take its full course.

Meanwhile, a dramatic scene unfolded at the court when the aunt of the late officer performed rituals, breaking eggs and invoking curses on those she believes are responsible for his death.

She reportedly said: “Anyone responsible for his death should also suffer the same fate. All your generation will suffer the same fate; the gods should deal ruthlessly with anyone responsible in his murder. The gods shouldn’t spare anyone involved.”

The case is now scheduled to continue on October 9, 2025.

Source: Myjoyonline

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The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mrs. Patience Baffoe Bonnie, and the leadership Prisons Service, were present to congratulate the champions Daniel Acquah (4 Gold Medals), Mabel Yeboah (4 Gold Medals) and Henry Otoo (2 Silver, 2 Bronze) on their impressive performances. The champions presented their medals to the Director-General, and they shared their experiences and insights with the top officials.

During the meeting, the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mrs. Baffoe Bonnie, expressed her excitement about the potential benefits of sports for inmates. She noted that sports can play a significant role in rehabilitation and pledged to support the development of armwrestling within the prisons service.

In a related development, the Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service, CGI Samuel Basintale, who was fascinated by the performances of Edward Yamoah Asamoah (2 Gold Medals), Blessed Abeka Nunoo (1 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze), Godwin Sackey (1 Gold, 1 Silver) and referee Nii Otoo Larkyne, also echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the importance of sports in promoting physical fitness and teamwork among personnel.  Mr. Basintale promised to provide support for the development of armwrestling within the service, including training facilities, equipment, and sponsorship.

The African Armwrestling Champions from the security services, who won a total of 20 medals out of Ghana’s 55 medal haul, were thrilled by the support and enthusiasm shown by the Ghana Immigration Service and Ghana Prisons Service. They expressed their gratitude and promised to continue promoting the sport and inspiring others to take up armwrestling.

Mr. Charles Osei Asibey, President of the Ghana Armwrestling Federation, was thrilled by the promise and continuous collaborations and support for the development of armwrestling in Ghana by the security services. “We’re motivated and inspired, knowing that we have the backing of these two major security agencies in the country.

As an institution tasked with border security and migration management, the training will build capacity in statistical concepts, data collection methodologies, and basic analysis.

The training is targeted at officers from regional and border posts to build essential knowledge, ensuring they are equipped to gather data, assess and use it effectively.

“Without data we can’t plan properly, and per GIS mandate, we’re supposed to regulate the movements of foreigners in and out of the country as well as provide residency to foreigners living in the country,” stressed Anita Gyasi, Chief Superintendent and Officer in charge of the GIS Statistical Unit.

She emphasized the importance of data quality, stating that all data collected must be complete, accurate, reliable, and accessible. She urged the public to approach the appropriate desks within GIS for accurate, protected information.

The training is under the Improving Statistics in West Africa Project (HISWAP) which has the objective of ensuring statistics are not merely gathered, but fully understood, trusted, and applied to inform critical decision-making across institutions.

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) is a key player among the 13 implementing Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.

The project is funded by the World Bank and the Bank of Ghana, and coordinated by the Ghana Statistical Service, aimed at strengthening statistical systems across West Africa through the adoption of harmonised templates and methodologies.

Senior Statistician and Lead Facilitator for the training, Victor Boateng Owusu, reinforced the significance of the initiative.

“Development should be based on data and not emotions,” he asserted, pointing to the critical role data plays in policy and national progress.

Mr. Owusu explained that beyond collection, the focus is on ensuring data quality and interoperability across institutions like the Ghana Statistical Service, the National Identification Authority, and the Births and Deaths Registry.

“If they appreciate what data means, it makes it easy for data users and policy makers to value the information coming from this institution,” he noted.

By empowering officers with practical statistical tools and fostering a deeper understanding of the data they collect, HISWAP is laying a solid foundation for data-driven governance. The initiative is not only enhancing institutional capacity but also setting a regional standard for statistical integrity.

The project is deemed a transformative effort to embed statistics at the heart of national planning and public service. Through training, collaboration, and commitment, the Ghana Immigration Service is proving that informed decisions begin with empowered people and reliable data.

The operation, which commenced in the early hours of Friday, May 16, forms part of GIS’s broader efforts to tackle the rising issue of street begging in the capital. Among those arrested were both adults and children.

A breakdown provided by the Service shows that 909 adults—384 males and 525 females—were picked up, along with 1,332 children, made up of 577 boys and 755 girls. In total, 961 males and 1,280 females were apprehended.

The detainees are currently undergoing medical and security screenings at the GIS National Headquarters in Accra, which are required steps ahead of their repatriation.

In a statement, the Head of Public Affairs, Assistant Commissioner of Immigration Amoako-Atta, assured the public that the operation is being carried out with full professionalism and respect for human rights.

“They are currently being taken through the necessary processes, including security and medical screening,” he stated.

The swoop targeted key locations known for high street begging activity, including Sabon Zongo, Nima, Abossey Okai, and the Obetsebi Roundabout.

According to the GIS, the exercise is not only aimed at repatriating undocumented migrants but also at dismantling the criminal networks facilitating their presence in the city.

The Service reaffirmed its commitment to handling all detainees in a humane and professional manner throughout the process.

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The exercise, which took place in the early hours of Friday, May 16, 2025, was carried out by immigration officers as part of a broader effort to address the rising presence of non-Ghanaian street dwellers, especially minors, in the capital’s bustling commercial areas.

During the operation, immigration vehicles rounded up numerous women and children believed to be foreign nationals.

Officers engaged with individuals before escorting them from sidewalks and intersections where they typically beg for alms from motorists and pedestrians.

Authorities say the exercise is part of a nationwide initiative aimed at decongesting urban streets, enhancing public safety, and tackling child exploitation.

It also seeks to identify undocumented migrants and enforce immigration regulations.

The move follows recent concerns raised by Dr. Ernestina Tetteh, Convener of the Coalition for Street-Connected Children Organisation (CSCCO).

On May 8, 2025, she warned about the growing and increasingly organised nature of child streetism in Ghana, particularly involving children from neighbouring countries.

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The Public Relations Officer of the Immigration service, DCI Kenneth Udo disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja.

He said the individual has been identified and invited for further investigation.

“If the allegations are substantiated, her actions would have constituted a breach of Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), with corresponding penalties outlined under Section 10(h) of the same Act.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the provisions of the Immigration Act in the interest of national security, and to preserving the dignity and integrity of the nation’s legal instruments”, he stated, the Vanguard  reported. 

According to The Punch, the woman who tore her husband’s passport, Mrs Igiebor, has broken her silence on the reasons she did it.

According to her, they have had family issues long before they return to Nigeria from Europe.

Igiebor, a content creator known for sharing content about her husband and kids on TikTok, made the revelation on Monday.

In the video, she said, “This issue has been going on for a long time. And I have to do what I did. Don’t just look at my actions alone. I’m not a mad woman. I have gone through so many things. I have my own reasons.

“What if I had done this thing in Europe, where we came from? I don’t want him to go through much stress, which is why I did it in Nigeria. So many people at the airport that day saw me acting. It has been a family issue all the time. My husband even cannot speak about it. I suffered with him, and just like that, his family wants my suffering to be shattered.

“To be sincere, I did it so my husband would not return (to Europe). I have gone through pain. Many don’t know what I’m going through. My husband bought me an iPhone to calm me. It has been going on for years. He knows that I’ve not forgotten it; I’m just pretending to have gone past it.”

The woman apologised to Nigerians who were angry over her action and to Nigerian immigration.

Igiebor further said her husband had neglected her for his family, adding, “My husband is a mother’s boy, sister’s and brother’s best brother. Making me the wife to be suffering. I did what I did for him to know that I’ve been bearing the pain.

“Those of you calling for my arrest should come and hold me responsible. I cry every time after three kids. They should let me rip what I have sown with him. My husband should come out and say what happened,” she stressed.

Although Igiebor did not provide specific details about the events that led to the passport destruction, she hinted at family issues.

The PUNCH earlier reported Igiebor, in a viral video tearing her husband’s Nigerian Standard Passport shortly after they arrived at the Lagos Airport on Saturday, August 10, 2024.

In the footage, an agitated Igiebor, when questioned about her actions, retorted, “Is it your passport?”

However, the Nigeria Immigration Service has launched a probe into an incident.

This was contained in a statement released on Sunday by the NIS Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Udo.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service has launched a formal investigation following the circulation of a video on social media, showing a female traveller destroying a Nigerian Standard Passport at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos,” the statement read.

The NIS noted that her actions could be a violation of Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), which prohibits the willful destruction of Nigerian travel documents.

The act outlines specific penalties for such offences.

The statement further emphasised the service’s dedication to enforcing the Immigration Act strictly to safeguard national security and preserve the integrity of Nigeria’s legal and diplomatic instruments.

Source: Vanguard 

This follows the incidents captured in JoyNews’ latest documentary ‘Porous Borders’ by Kwetey Nartey. The exposé revealed how some traders bribe customs officials to smuggle goods from neighbouring countries into Ghana.

In a statement issued to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday, July 30, GRA, the country’s revenue mobilization body, said the investigation by the Committee was to also find out ways that smugglers evaded the payment of taxes and duties allegedly with the assistance of some Customs officers.

Additionally, the investigative team would assess any security vulnerabilities at the border points highlighted.

“GRA wishes to thank Joy FM for their work and assures the trading community and the general public that the Authority will provide information on the outcomes of the investigation and sanctions meted out,” the statement said.

“We remain committed to our core mandate of mobilising revenue for national development,” the statement added.

Find full statement below:

The officers, who underwent a six-week training in immigration laws and practices and other areas of law, are expected to boost prosecution for immigration-related offences through the newly created Prosecution Unit of the Service.

In a speech read on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Immigration (CGI), Mr. Kwame Asuah Takyi by the Deputy Comptroller-General, Finance and Administration, Mr. Isaac Owusu Mensah, the CGI said the training formed part of the strategy of expanding the legal department of the Service to all 19 operational regions of the Service.

This, the CGI said, will solve jurisdiction problems and human rights issues that befall current practices in immigration prosecution. The CGI said that the new prosecutors will be posted across the regions for swifter prosecution of offenders, in the bid to discourage immigration crimes and improve national security.

The CGI thanked the Ghana Police Service for their continuous collaboration with the Service, earlier in helping prosecute some Immigration offences, and now in training prosecutors for the Service. “We share common interests in ensuring internal security for all persons resident in Ghana,” the Immigration boss said.

The CGI also appreciated the Denmark Embassy for their support through the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and Strengthening Border and Migration Management in Ghana (SMMIG) for the training course.

On his part, the Danish Ambassador, Tom Norring, congratulated graduands for their hard work over the six weeks training period. The Danish Ambassador noted that migration is very beneficial for individuals and nations if it is well-regulated. Conversely, Mr. Norring said migration poses high risk to individuals, receiving nations and sending nations if it is not legal and regulated; the reason his government proudly supported the initiative.

The Danish Ambassador reiterated his outfit’s commitment to further support in building capacity of officers of the GIS.

Project Manager for SMMIG was also grateful to the Government of Denmark for supporting one of the strategic objectives of the project to strengthen the legal directorate. According to her, the training was a first step considering that the Service had limited number of prosecutors. She entreated that the trained officers are posted to the right places where their knowledge and work is required.

Director-General for Criminal Investigations Department, Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr. Isaac Ken Yeboah, entreated graduands to exhibit high sense of professionalism, confidence and knowledge in laws to aid their work. He encouraged them to continue learning as that is the only way to sustained success, reaffirming that, “the Detective Training Academy and the CID Administration is ready and committed to facilitate capacity building in prosecution and other areas of criminal investigations.”

On his part, commandant of the Training Academy, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr. Baba Iddrisu said the officers should maintain their network and continue sharing ideas in order to be effective and efficient in their new roles.

The alleged Indian hemp was intercepted at Atikpui which borders Togo in the Ho Municipality with the suspected hemp slabs concealed in sacks.

Public Relations Officer of the Volta Regional Command of the GIS, Inspector Felix Klu Adjei, confirmed the incident and said the operation happened on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 at about 8:00 am.

Mr Klu noted that the exhibits have been handed over to the Narcotics Control Board after the needed checks were done.

The Deputy Superintendent of Immigration, Ms Joan Agbeti, assured the public of the Service’s commitment to fighting the illegal activities of the people in the region.

The Sector Commander for Nyive, Assistant Commissioner of Immigration, Abdullah Zakaria, said the alleged owners of the goods abandoned them upon realising the officers were chasing them.

He noted that the Immigration Service will not leave any stone unturned until they wipe out all the illegal activities in the region.

He further urged residents to collaborate with the Service to fight against criminal activities in the area. 

The Ghana Immigration Service in the Volta region in 2021 intercepted over 3,000 parcels of illegal drugs.

Some 760 illegal immigrants were also arrested and repatriated to their various countries between 2021 and first quarter of 2022.

Speaking in an interview with JoyNews, Sector Commander, Rev. Chief Superintendent Edwin Adjetey-Doku noted that “our men are on the grounds trying to pick up intelligence.”

“Our people are still on grounds. They’ve been able to question some few folks of the Nankpanduri town and its surrounding villages. And it seems such persons have not been seen in the system,” he said.

It follows a National Security alert on what it calls, the suspicious movement of some masked men into the mountainous areas of the Upper East and North East Regions.

Its operation has so far failed to track the suspected terrorists but the Sector Commander tells JoyNews security is being heightened in the area to prevent an attack.

According to him, there are preparation by his command to “release men in plain clothes to also go and complement the efforts of those intelligence officers who were released from the region.”

He added that with this strategy, “we will still see if there is other news we are going to get as to whether it is true that people are really on the grounds or in our country.”

“I have had a meeting with my command, my officers, and I have also reiterated to them how they go about their work and how vigilant they should be in manning the borders,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Upper East Regional Minister has stated that the Region is fully prepared to deal with terrorist organisations if they attempt to stage attacks.

Speaking to JoyNews, Stephen Yakubu, who is also Chairman of the Regional Security Council, explained that government has adequately armed the region with the requisite logistics to fight any such attack.

“You know, we had about 22 small armored vehicles in the region. You know, some of the things I don’t want to say a lot, what we have done, but we have a lot of logistics coming into the region,” he assured.

Her passion for music is all that is known of her professional life, but the artiste has disclosed she had dreams of being a dancer or lawyer.

However, she lost interest in them and opted for the Immigration Service after intense pressure from her elder sister who was her then guardian.

She told host Abena Ghana during an interview on Adom TV’s The Journey that she pictured herself as a civil servant and made efforts to gain entry into the service.

OV recounted how she used to throng the El Wak sports stadium for constant recruitment, but she never made it.

Following her disappointment, she rekindled her love for music, adding that anytime she entered into studio, “music took something away from her”.

The Want Me composer is set to drop another banger that would be on the lips of music lovers.

This was on Thursday, May 20, to inspect facilities, training activities and stimulations by trainees in the Eastern Region.

He was accompanied by the Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service, Kwame Asuah-Tarkyi, the Inspector General of Police, James Oppong-Boanuh and the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Acheampong.

The Minister, speaking at a durbar of trainees and traditional leaders in the area, said he was delighted by what he saw during the inspection and applauded management of the services for robust training regime.

“I am more confident that citizens and residents in Ghana were in safer hands,” he said.

He also commended CTECC for their community integrated Anti-Violence Advocacy project which seeks to engage and educate communities close the camp on security alertness and the need to collaborate with security agencies.

The Comptroller-General of GIS, Mr Asuah-Tarkyi said the era of turf war between state agencies has passed.

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According to him, the joint training was the way to go in fostering unity among officers and encouraged officers to continue in the spirit of comradeship.

The IGP said a poorly trained security officer is a threat to himself and the community at large

“Building human capacity is, therefore, non-negotiable for security,’’ he added.

The officers, who are currently undergoing training, were from the Ghana Immigration Service, Police Service and the Ambulance Service.

It is reported that Forson, together with one Ekow Harkman, 71, managed to defraud about 30 people to the tune of GH¢250,000.00 with the promise of recruitment into GIS.

Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI), James Hayford Boadi, who is Officer-in-Charge of Operations at the Tema Regional Command, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Tema, cautioned job seekers of activities of recruitment scams.

He said “this is not the first time such an arrest has been made and certainly it will not be the last,” and warned young people seeking employment to be vigilant.

ACI Boadi said GIS does not sublet its recruitment process to either individuals or groups of individuals; “every recruitment exercise is done by the GIS alone under the supervision of the Ministry of the Interior”.

He advised those who wants to join the service to go through the proper process and not to pay money to anybody, because, at the end, they would not be recruited and they would also lose their money.

Deputy Superintendent of Immigration (DSI), Mercy Budu, who is the GIS Tema Regional Public Relations Officer, said a victim, name withheld, paid about GH¢10,000.00 to the suspect.

She said the victim afterwards went to the Immigration Training Academy at Assin Fosu to find out whether the said Forson was actually an employee of the service.

Ms Budu said the victim discovered that there was no one by that name and reliased that she had been defrauded, her reaction to the fact caught the attention of Assistant Superintendent of Immigration (ASI) Roland Abdul Aziz Issah, who then gave the information to the Tema Regional Command.

She said in a collaborative move by the immigration officers from Assin Fosu and the Tema Regional Command, Forson and Harkman were picked up at Community 8, Tema.

DSI Budu said some GIS officers posed as persons who are interested to recruitment into the service, and the suspects were arrested in that setup.

The Tema GIS Regional PRO advised persons to seek information directly from the GIS as there are officers in every district in Ghana.

She commended the Tema Regional Commander, ACI Kojo Oppong Yeboah and the Commandant of the GIS Training Academy at Assin Fosu, ACI Alex Adu for their oversight during the exercise.

The officers are said to have facilitated illegal entry of some foreign nationals into the country.

The officers are Assistant Inspectors Isaac Ahiafor Agbeyenyega and Sarah Adubea, ICOs Juliana Anning and Jennifer Owusu-Ansah as well as R.O Joyce Nketia.

This action, a statement from the Ghana Immigration Service said, is in contravention of Section 52(1) of the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573).

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“While on interdiction, you would be entitled to two-thirds (2/3) of your salary,” the statement added.

Below is the full statement:

JoyNews sources say the smugglers had moved the input through an unapproved route and were transporting the goods with a canoe when they were arrested.

The two; a driver and the owner of the goods have been handed over to the police.

According to sources, the officers, through intelligence gathered, laid an ambush and intercepted the transfer of the goods at around 3:30 am on Tuesday.

In 2019, President Akufo-Addo during a working visit to Saboba in the Northern Region, raised concerns about the incessant smuggling of government subsidised farm inputs to Togo.

He said Saboba had gained notoriety for that and urged authorities to be more vigilant.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture also suspended the Saboba District from some exercise over similar accusations.

The vehicle entered Ghana through an unapproved route near the Nyive Border Post last Friday.

The incident happened on Friday, April 17, 2020 along the Hodzogah-Takla stretch of the frontier.

Assistant Inspector of Immigration, Felix Klu-Adjei, who is in-charge of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) Public Affairs in the Volta Region, disclosed the happening to the Ghanaian Times at the weekend.

He said it was after the Nyive GIS Sector Commander, Superintendent Justice K. K. Setordjie received an intelligence report concerning the activities of a cross border criminal syndicate who were about to strike at the border.

According to him, while the vehicle was being chased by personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service as soon as it crossed into Ghana from Togo, the driver and the two other occupants hopped off the it and fled into a nearby bush on the Ghana side of the frontier.

The vehicle was impounded and later handed over to the Custom Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

“It is believed that the vehicle was smuggled from Togo,” Assistant Inspector Klu-Adjei added.

In a related development, the Nyive and Shia commands of the GIS have since the closure of the frontiers intercepted five motorcycles from various unapproved entry points in the Volta Region.

This has become necessary following series of criminal activities which the Service says have been mostly linked to undocumented foreign nationals. 

PRO for the Service, Supt. Michael Amoako Attah, disclosed on ‘The Pulse’ on JoyNews TV that they have set aside July as a grace period for all such persons to present their documentation to them or risk deportation from August onwards.

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He said foreign nationals married to and parents to Ghanaian children and have not yet updated their status in the country, are also included.

“For instance, with people in gated communities, we are going to have a face to face interaction regarding the provisions of this law and through the media, we would reach out to the general public that this is what we are doing.

“We will give one month grace period while we are going about the awareness creation. Within that period if you are in a rented apartment and you are not properly documented by GIS, come and let us take you through the process and get your stay regularised,” he said.

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Supt. Attah said there will be no sanction during the awareness period encouraging all those affected to come out and do the right thing. 

He said they will also engage hoteliers, managers of guest houses and other apartments about the exercise so they get their patrons documented. 

In April this year, the Police warned that landlords who fail to do rigorous background checks on potential tenants, especially foreigners, will be held liable if they are involved in any crime.

Director of Operations at the Accra Region Police Command, ACP Kwesi Ofori, said landlords should take and keep some form of identity and have a lot of information about people who come to them to hire or buy their properties.

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“People cannot come and use your property as a prison to detain others and maltreat them…investigations will seriously count them in [when their tenants commit crimes],” ACP Ofori told Joy News’ Gifty Andoh Appiah on The Pulse Friday.

Meanwhile, the Immigration Service says some Nigerians seen in a viral video attacking its officials have been deported.

In the video, a group of people are seen surrounding immigration officials, preventing them from moving their vehicle into the community and were continuously taunting them.

Investigations by a committee set up following the incident found that a majority of those involved were undocumented persons involved in cybercrime.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

The work of immigration officers at Ghana’s borders is said to be impeded greatly due to the lack of logistical support.

It has emerged that some of the officer working on the Ghana/Cote D’Iviore border work under cashew trees for want of proper office spaces.

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An Adom FM Correspondent in the Western Region, Kwabena Yeboah, has reported from Sampa on Fabewoso that work at the border has become ineffective due to the situation.

He said the only shelter the immigration officers at that frontier have are the shades from the cashew trees.

Even more worrying, Kwabena Yeboah, said is the absence of guns for personnel of the paramilitary service in the area.

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“Smugglers have a field day because the immigration officers don’t have logistics to prevent them as they fear for their lives since most of the smugglers are armed,” he added.

The plight of immigration officers at Sefwi Osei Kojokrom in the Western North Region is no different they are said to face similar or worse challenges which.

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Watch the featured video for more on the plight of immigration officials in Ghana’s frontiers as Dwaso Nsem host Captain Smart delves into the immigration officers’ challenges.

 RELATED STORY: Massive shake-up hits Immigration Service

A statement issued by the Head of Public Affairs for the Service, Supt Michael Amoako-Atta, said the re-assignment which was done by the Comptroller-General of Immigration (CGI), Mr. Kwame Asuah Takyi, seeks “to inject some dynamism and innovation into the newly assigned roles and responsibilities at the various commands.”
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But Mr. Amoako Atta indicated that the shakeup has got nothing to with Politics but rather for effective and productive service to the Country.

Mr Sivaram in a motion on notice for application for committal for contempt contended that the GIS Controller had failed to comply with orders of the High Court on September 18, this year.

The court was presided over by Mrs Justice Naa Adoley Azu.

On September 18, this year, the court presided over by Mrs Azu ruled that the GIS should restore Mr Sivaram’s work and resident permit to him within seven days.

This was after the court had granted an order of mandamus directed at the GIS to restore Mr Sivaram’s residence and work permits which was cancelled by the Service on the basis of a deportation order dated on May 15, this year and same was quashed by the another High Court in its ruling dated on July 31, this year.

Mrs Azu’s ruling further granted an order of injunction restraining the GIS, its agents, assigns, privies servant or any one acting on the authority of the service from making any attempt to remove Mr Sivaram from the jurisdiction.

This was because the decision by the GIS to accept the application for visa on arrival without the requisite statutory fee was a deliberate attempt to decline to process the said application adding the decision made by the GIS administrative official was unfair, unreasonable and same was supported by law.

Mr Sivaram noted that the decision of the court had been served on GIS and same had been reported in the media.

“The orders of the court are clear, unambiguous, and the respondent knows what to do.

“The respondent, being a professional lawyer and knows the full force of and effect of Court orders, and thus his decision not to restore my Residence/Work permit within the seven day period as ordered by the court is a deliberate and willful attempt to under the authority of the High Court,” he said.

On September 18, this year a High Court in Accra ordered GIS to restore the Residence and Work Permit of Mr Ashok Kumar Sivaram, the Indian businessman within seven days.

Granting an order of Mandamus filed by Mr Sivaram against the Service, the Court also ordered the GIS’s assigns, agents, and servants to desist from harassing him until his application before the Service was duly processed.

On June 1, this year, the GIS following an order by the Interior Ministry, deported Mr Sivaram on the premise that he had forged his marriage certificate in an application for citizenship.

The Indian businessman, therefore, contested his deportation by filing a judicial review through an order of Certiorari.

Mr Justice Kweku Ackah-Boafo upheld the businessman’s application and quashed his deportation order on July 31, this year, on the grounds that the Interior Ministry exceeded its jurisdiction.

The application for committal for contempt is expected to be heard on October 10, this year.

The women numbering over 50 were allegedly arrested with their traffickers in Accra following  the temporary ban on direct to home transfer of domestic workers to the Gulf region especially Kuwait, Saudi, Dubai and Jordan.

Some of the aggrieved ladies in an interview with Adom News’ Kofi Adjei revealed that, they were arrested in Accra some weeks ago packed in a container which was being loaded onto a vessel going to Saudi Arabia.

But instead of taking them to the police station, the ladies claimed the supposed Immigration officers sent them to Krobo Akyi, a village near Senya Breku in the Central region.

Some women also alleged that, the officers demand sex from them but those who refused are assaulted sexually.

“We were actually running to Saudi Arabia because we realized that is where we will get more money but unfortunately these officers arrested us and instead of releasing us to our families they kidnapped us and maltreated us after bringing us to Senya” one woman said angrily.

Some family members, who stormed the town to rescue their relatives claim officers of the Ghana Immigration Service demanded GHC3,000 for their release.

“Some of the officers after our families refused to pay them have sex with us every night and one woman is even in a critical condition after one officer had sex with her everyday” another woman said.

They group said they manage to escape after they subjected the Immigration Officers to severe beatings.

Listen to some of the angry women

The Chief of Krobo Akyi, Nana Adams Aquah Robertson who received the young girls expressed frustration about the matter.

He promised to investigate the matter and make sure that officers involved in such dastardly are brought to book.

Two personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) have been hospitalised after enduring a severe beating at the hands of some residents of Assin-Akropong in the Central Region.

They were beaten in a free-for-all fight with residents, Assin Fosu District Police Commander Supt Magnus Sam has confirmed.

The two AICO II Egah Gyemfi and Benjamin Nkansah are part of six officers who were called into the community to retaliate the beating of a civilian friend.

In a case of mistaken identity, the officers stormed the community and beat up a wrong target, Robert Adei and this caught the attention of the residents which eventually became a street fight.

Four of the officers took to their heels while two of them rushed to a nearby police station for protection. The two, who sustained inuries, have been hospitalised at St. Francis hospital in Assin-Fosu

The six officers were identified as A.I.C.O II Egah Gyemfi, Okoto Larry, Lesly Tackie, Benjamin Nkansah, Richard Mensah and Gabriel Adomah.

The assault comes 48 hours after the fatal beating and killing of an Army Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama in the same region as the latest assault.

Captain Mahama was lynched in the Upper Denykira West District by a mob on suspicion of armed robbery.

Upper Denkyira where the soldier was lynched is a neighbouring District to where the two immigration officers were given the beating.

Relatively little known, the Denkyira-Obuasi area in the Upper Denkyira West District is now the center of immense national interest and the scene of massive hunt for the Monday morning mob’s moment of madness.

As the country struggles to come to terms with the tragic case of instant justice, the former District Chief Executive, Ambrose Ashia has shared his observations about the pysche of the residents.

Speaking on Accra-based Asempa FM Tuesday, Ambrose Ashia said while he does not intend to stereotype the residents, he has assessed that the psyche of the community is that of impunity savagery and lawlessness”.

This is the second major shake-up under the watch of new Comptroller of GIS, Kwame Asuah Takyi, who took office in March this year.

The officers affected are of Superintendent, Chief Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent ranks.

Earlier this month, 45 senior officers were transferred including the Head of Public Affairs at the Immigration Service Francis Palmdetti.

It includes two Deputy Commissioners of Immigration (DCOI), two Assistant Commissioners of Immigration (ACi), 18 Chief Superintendents of Immigration (C/SUPT.), eight Superintendents of Immigration (SUPT.), 11 Deputy Superintendents of Immigration (DSI) and four Assistant Superintendents of Immigration (ASI).

A letter dated May 17, 2017, and signed by Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kwame Asuah Takyi, said the transfers take immediate effect.

According to the letter, DCOI Prosper Price Delali Asima has been transferred from Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to Sekondi in the Western Region as the Officer in Charge (OIC) While DCOI Eric Affari at Sekondi heads to KIA as OIC.

In addition, ACI Isaac Luortey, the Commander in Tamale in the Northern Region has been transferred to Headquarters in Accra. He will be replaced by an officer from Headquarters Chief Superintendent Noah Ahomka Yeboah as Acting Regional Commander.

According to Mr. Takyi Asuah, the shake up is aimed at injecting more efficiency and effectiveness into the ranks of the service.

Ordinarily, officers are supposed to be transfered every four to five years. But most of the officers being moved currently have stayed at their duty posts for six to seven years without being transfered.

The move is also to ensure that those who have served in deprived areas like Shia, Hamile and Axim be given the opportunity to operate at more exciting duty posts like the Kotoka International Airport, Aflao, Headquarters and Tema.

The move will also allow those who have served in cities to experience service in deprived areas.

In the latest shake-up, six officers are being moved from the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to other parts of the country whilst seven others are being moved from the Aflao border post.

They include two Deputy Commissioners of Immigration (DCOI), two Assistant Commissioners of Immigration (ACi), 18 Chief Superintendents of Immigration (C/SUPT.), eight Superintendents of Immigration (SUPT.), 11 Deputy Superintendents of Immigration (DSI) and four Assistant Superintendents of Immigration (ASI).

A letter dated May 17, 2017, and signed by Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kwame Asuah Takyi, said the transfers take immediate effect.

According to the letter, DCOI Prosper Price Delali Asima has been transferred from Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to Sekondi in the Western Region as the Officer in Charge (OIC) While DCOI Eric Affari at Sekondi heads to KIA as OIC.

In addition, ACI Isaac Luortey, the Commander in Tamale in the Northern Region has been transferred to Headquarters in Accra. He will be replaced by an officer from Headquarters Chief Superintendent Noah Ahomka Yeboah as Acting Regional Commander.

New Central Regional Commander

Central Regional Commander ACI Maud A. Quainoo has been transferred to Headquarters to take charge of administration. He has been replaced by Chief Superintendent Francis Palmdeti (Officer in charge of Public Affairs at Headquarters).

Chief Superintended Palmdeti will be replaced by Michael Amoako Ataa who was second in charge of Public Officers. He has now been promoted to head the Public Affairs Office at Headquarters.

C/Supt. Julius Gboglah has been transferred from Bolgatanga to Headquarters in Accra while C/Supt. Kwasi Appau moves to Bolgatanga as Acting Regional Commander of Upper East.

The Brong Ahafo Region also has a new Acting Regional Commander,C/Supt. Fred B. Duodu. He was transferred from Accra.

New HR at Headquarters

C/Supt. Kojo Oppong from Sunyani heads to Accra as Offiicer in Charge of Human Resource at Headquarters.

The Officer in Charge of Training at the headquaters C/Supt. Nicholina Asare has been assigned as Officer in Charge of Work Permit at the headquarters.

Tema

C/ Supt. Evelyn Aseidu Gyekye, Officer in Charge of the Receiving Counter at Headquarters has been transferred to Tema and C/ Supt. Edith Penelove Arhin at Head quarters Issue Room, has also been transferred to Tema.

Akanu, Sogakope have new bosses

Akanu in the Volta Region will see a new Sector Commander,C/ Supt. Francis Baning and the C/Supt, Joshua Krakue moved from Akanu to heaquarters.

C/Supt. Yaw Charles Bediako from Headquarters will take over at Sogakope as Officer in Charge.

Passport Office

C/Supt. Gordon Saah has been transferred from Headquarters to passport office while Shadrack Azangweo moves from Cape Coast to Obuasi as Officer in Charge.

Kumasi DSI Agnes Tinga has been transferred from Suhum in the Eastern Region to Kumasi as the second in Command and Supt. Lydia Achel from Headquarters intelligence also moves to Kumasi intelligence.

This was the case when the European Union donated vehicles, IT equipment and other items worth about GHc 2.3 million to help manage the country’s borders more effectively, under the EU-funded Ghana Integrated Migration Management Approach project

Even before the donors parted ways with the Ghana Immigration Service at the programme, the Comptroller General of Immigration Kwame Asuah Takyi was back to pleading, asking the EU for more help, with reference to Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist.

“The GIS is very grateful for the continuous support we receive from the European Union and its member countries, but like Oliver Twist, we shall be grateful for more, particularly in the development of our border infrastructure and systems,” Mr. Asuah Takyi said.

But this did not sit well with the EU Ambassador to Ghana, William Hanna who had previously hailed President Nana Akufo-Addo’s vision of a Ghana not dependent on aid.

Mr. Hanna instead urged Ghanaian leaders to move away from the grovelling tone of Dickens’s Oliver Twist to the promise of Dickens’ Greater Expectations novel.

“I am thinking that in a country, where the President is talking about moving beyond aid, we should maybe move away from the Oliver twist references and reference Great Expectations, another book by Dickens,” the EU ambassador pointed out to the Comptroller General.

Mr. Hanna spoke of an oncoming summit in Abidjan for European Leaders and African leader to debate the question of youth and job creation.

“… we hear that the new government is putting a lot of emphasis in creating jobs and that will address the root causes of migration. So let’s perhaps have great expectations of what we can do together” he said.

The Service has not embarked on any recruitment exercise for 2017 and no such decision has been taken yet, Chief Superintend of Immigration, Francis Palmdeti, who is Head of Public Affairs of GIS, has said in a press release.

He noted that Cadets and Recruits were admitted into the Immigration Training School and Academy on 28th December, 2016 after passing a selection process.

He added that appointment letters were, therefore, not being issued by the Service since prospective officers are already in training.

“We wish to state categorically that, the GIS has not engaged the services of any persons or Institution to conduct any recruitment exercise, let alone issue appointment letters on its behalf” he said.

Chief Superintend Palmdeti, therefore, advised members of the public to report to the Police any persons demanding money with the supposed intention of assisting them to secure a job with the GIS, as well as those issuing fake “appointment letters” for a fee and those posing as job contractors or agents of the Service whose motive is purely to defraud.

He stated that any future recruitment exercise would be duly advertised in the local newspapers.