Govt commits C1.98bn for Border Control Programme

Assin Fosu (C/R), July 16, GNA - Mr Albert Kan Dapaah, Minister of the Interior, at the weekend announced that Government had committed 1.98 billion cedis to facilitate the implementation of the national Border Control Programme. He said the Ghana Immigration Service, which was the youngest para-military institution with the enviable responsibility for the enforcement of laws on the entry and exit of foreigners, would implement the programme.

Mr Kan Dapaah was speaking at the passing out parade of 196 recruits of the Service at Assin Fosu in the Central Region.

He said the recruits would continue their training at the Military Training School at Asutuare to prepare them adequately for the effective management of the country's borders.

The Minister expressed dissatisfaction about the growing incidence of passport fraud, human trafficking, smuggling and other cross-border crimes.

He said it was in this light that government decided to redefine the country's borders and incorporate border security, passport control and border safety with the formation of a Border Patrol Unit. Mr Kan Dapaah said the border control programme would place greater responsibility on the Service and asked the recruits to exhibit alertness, initiative, ingenuity and foresight to transform the Service. He urged them to aim high and soar and challenged them to search for the things that cannot be done and do them.

"Be innovative and creative at work. Think about what others have not thought. Let your guiding principle be that famous admonition...that the task is not so much to see what no one has yet seen but to think what nobody has yet thought about that which everyone sees."

Daniel Ahenkora; was adjudged the overall best recruit, Francis Kofi Apau; won the best drill prize, Ntow Godfried; was the best in academics and Joshua Baffoe; the best in physical discipline.