Assin Fosu (C/R), May 10, GNA - Mr. Moses Gyamfi, Deputy Director in-charge of Operations, Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), has assured that the service would upgrade its human resource base, to ensure that the staff acquired the necessary skills to perform efficiently. "We need a strategic intervention by GIS to strengthen the capacity of the middle and lower level management, to enhance operational effectiveness and supervision of the other ranks," He said.

Mr. Gyamfi was speaking at the graduation parade for cadets of the commissioning course VI of the GIS at Assin Fosu in the Central Region. The cadets comprising 33 males and 7 female senior officers were taken through subjects such as human trafficking, immigration law, basic intelligence, professional ethics, travel document, fraud detection and border security management during the 10- week course. Mr Gyamfi noted that the discovery of oil and gas in Ghana has the potential to have an impact on the economy and national security, so the GIS would review its operational strategies especially in areas where most of the activities in the oil and gas industry would be concentrated. "The service has initiated a 4-year strategic development plan with the assistance of its development partners to expand and upgrade the training facilities at the training school and academy, as well as re-evaluation of the curricular to make it more professionally focused. Management would therefore provide the necessary exposure within and outside the country, so that the officers would become very competent in performing their duties" He said.

Mr Gyamfi said this would assist in transforming and repositioning the service to deal with the emerging migration and security issues that were being anticipated in the globalised world. He said government was committed to providing the GIS with the needed logistics and infrastructure for efficient service delivery. Mr. Gyamfi advised the newly commissioned officers to eschew complacency and desist from acts that would tarnish the reputation and image of the service.

"As supervisors, you need to exhibit excellent leadership skills and put up behaviours which are worth emulating by officers who would work under your command.

"Exhibit the knowledge you have acquired through dedication to your duties and let discipline and professionalism be your guide," He added. He assured that a library would soon be established at the training school and an academy to enable future cadets develop the attitude of embarking on research activities.

Mr. Ernest Kpodo won the best award in drills for the male category, Linda Asare Mantey, best in drills, female category, Mr. Jonathan Asmah, best in physical training, Mr. Sule Aminu Mohammed, most disciplined cadet, Miss. Alberta Ampofo, best in training research, whiles Mr. Abdul-Razak Tahiru won the best in academics and overall best cadet award.