The Minister for Interior, Mr Prosper Bani has stated that Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has a crucial role to play in maintaining the country’s territorial integrity.

He said recent developments across the world in the area of migration and global security call for a well thought-out, innovative and proactive approach to migration management.

Mr Bani said this in a speech read on his behalf by the Central Regional Minister, Mr Kweku Rickett Hagan during the graduation parade of 98 GIS Officer Cadets in-take at Assin Foso in the Assin North Municipality of the Central Region.

He charged the GIS to work hard to facilitate trade and investment through the effective processing of legitimate travellers’ documents and operating a work and residents’ permit systems that meet the economic and security needs of the country.

“There is the need to adopt comprehensive and cooperative approach to border management to deal with the pressure of trade facilitation, integration and greater globalization” he added.

The minster revealed that plans were underway by the service to develop a five year strategic plan, adding it would be imperative to take into account the current global trends and the unique situation of Ghana in the development of the plan, to ensure the aspiration and goals of the country.

Mr Bani hinted that government was aware of the invaluable contribution of GIS in National Development and the maintenance of peace and security.

“Government has therefore taken decisive and a well defined steps and strategies to place GIS as a para-military institution in the security and intelligence setup of the country” he added.

He disclosed that plans were underway for officers to undergo training and re-training in weapon handling, intelligence gathering and psychological re-training to equip them adequately for the task ahead.

The Interior Minister charged the officers to win the trust and confidence of the public so that they would be willing to share information on undesirable aliens or aliens engaged in prohibited activities in the country and therefore appealed to them to respect the rights of the people they deal with.