Zebilla (UE/R), Sept 9, GNA - Mrs. Elizabeth Adjei, Director General of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), has called on Chiefs and Assembly Members in all border towns in the Upper East Region to assist Immigration Officials to discharge their duties effectively. She noted that the borders were important to the nation's development as they served as entry and exit points for trade and there was the need for immigration personnel to regulate or check inflow of people and activities.

Mrs. Adjei was addressing a mini durbar of security personnel at Zebilla, in Bawku West District. She expressed worry that the borders were also used for criminal activities such as smuggling and robbery and urged the people to assist security personnel to arrest criminals, who were staying or taking refuge in the communities.

Mrs Adjei announced that roads leading to the border posts in the area would be rehabilitated and office and residential accommodation provided for the immigration officers to facilitate their work. She said trading activities were being folded up or directed elsewhere due to the Bawku conflict that had scared people from using the main Bawku road. Mr. Christopher Attivor, Bawku West District Commander of GIS, said personnel of the Service arrested and handed over to the Police an Algerian man who entered the country through unapproved route without the requisite papers. He said two child traffickers were also arrested with four children from Garu-Tempane District. Mr Attivor said GIS took census of 951 Fulani herdsmen who had more than 10,200 cattle and 215 donkeys and advised them to be of good behaviour.

Mr. George Attanga, Bawku East District Commander of GIS, said 48 child traffickers and three notorious cross border animal rustlers from Togo and Burkina Faso were apprehended and handed over to the Police between last year and July this year. He expressed concern that there was growing fear of insecurity among the personnel in Bawku because one of them, Mr. Alidu Adam was violently attacked by an unknown assailant at Missiga, while armed men stormed a GIS office at Polimakom border post and fired indiscriminately and in the process set the office and four taxi cabs ablaze. He recounted other incidents of violence saying, "This disturbing trend if not checked could jeopardize the security of the frontiers as personnel at the borders may not be able to provide adequate security for travellers and themselves".

Mrs Adjei in the company of the Minister of Interior, Mr. Cletus Avoka later cut the sod for work to begin on GIS office building in Zebilla. 9 Sept 9