Accra, Nov. 26, GNA - Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration on Friday advised the security agencies to ensure effective implementation of laws and regulations pertaining to immigration and related issues along the country's borders. He noted that personnel of Ghana Immigration Service were responsible for the control, regulation and monitoring of the movement of Ghanaians in and out of the country.

Alhaji Mumuni gave the advice in an address read on his behalf at the inauguration of the Regional Integration Network of Non-State Actors (RINSA) in Accra.

RINSA is a network of integration within the West Africa Sub-region, established to educate Ghanaians on issues that hampered implementation of the ideals of ECOWAS.

The network would also build the capacity of the business community as well as the people to derive maximum benefit from the integration process. Alhaji Mumuni said there was a roadmap to open up the sub-region and ensure adequate network to persons across national borders. He announced that ECOWAS Commission had proposed the development of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor in partnership with Africa Business Roundtable and the African Development Bank. Alhaji Mumuni said Ghana had demonstrated her commitment by sourcing for funds to complete her portion of the trans-regional road network. He pointed out that most Ghanaians companies were benefiting from the scheme by exporting to other countries with the assistance of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Ghana Export Promotion Council that constitute the National Approvals Committee.

Mr Ernest Ackwerh, Deputy Commissioner of Customs Preventive said manufactured goods originating from the sub-region which had been registered and certified were admitted free of import-duty across the borders. He therefore urged entrepreneurs to register their goods on transit since they would be freely facilitated with little interference. Mr Ackwerh said customs documentation had not only been reduced to a single declaration but undertaken electronically at all major entry points. He advised traders and passengers to enquire about documentation and other obligations at the borders from the Customs Division of GRA before they embark on their journey.