Long-term survival of an organisation depends on sound strategic planning, that clearly defines objectives and assesses both the internal and external situation, and makes adjustments where necessary to stay on track.

“Formulating a destination agenda enables an institution to muster available resources to attain optimal performance as well as find new and different ways to achieve success,” Mr Prosper Bani, Minister for Interior, has said.

This was read for him at a workshop held by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to evaluate the 2011-2015 Strategic Plan.

The Minister described the Plan as opportune to enhance and guide the implementation of the new Immigration Service Act 908.

The four-day workshop, being organised with assistance from the Demand Driven Facility of the “Support for Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa (FMM West Africa),” will also draft a new five-year 2016-2020 and the finalisation of a Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism.

The overall objective of the workshop is to evaluate the GIS 2011-2015 Strategic Plan, with the specific objective of evaluating the performance status of the plan; ascertain gaps in the plan and highlight best practices; and evaluate the monitoring and evaluation mechanism and tool kits.

The GIS in September 2011 launched its four-year Strategic Plan which sought to position the Service to manage migration in the national interest; to combat irregular migration; and to promote national security.

Mr Bani said the implementation of the plan was being carefully monitored and supported by the Government through the Ministry of the Interior to ensure that some critical deliverables of the plan are achieved.

“… the GIS four Year Strategic Plan was drawn around four major pillars which are people development, policy, information, facilities and equipment, collaboration and funding.

“Seventeen broad projects and several activities were, therefore, developed around these pillars,” he said.

The Minister announced that Performance Report obtained from the GIS and same verified by the Ministry indicates an encouraging and above average performance.

“Indeed, three out of the five pillars have recorded above 90 per cent implementation status with the remaining three receiving greater attention from Government to ensure its successful completion,” he said.

He said the Ministry was prepared to make available the necessary tools, equipment and resources that would be required to facilitate the smooth implementation of the project.

Mr Felix Yaw Sarpong, Director of Immigration, said the Strategic Plan was set to meet the emerging global challenges of migration management, such as irregular migration and migration smuggling among others, and reposition the GIS for greater service delivery in line with best practices.

He said it is also to improve the capacity of the GIS to effectively carry out its mandate, which includes the National Migration Policy approved in November, 2015.

Mr Sarpong said the core operational and administrative strategies of the Service has evolved over the years to respond to the increasing demands on the Service by its stakeholders.

“The establishment of the Border Patrol Unit, Work Permit Sections, Document Fraud and Expertise Centre and the Migration Management Bureau, computerisation of selected entry points.

“The installation of 17 digital border surveillance equipment at strategically selected entry points, the drafting of a Master Standard Operating procedures for the Service are but a few of the strategies deployed,” he said.

Mr Sarpong said the review of GIS laws and policies, which is one of the critical projects under the plan, development of a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures, the drafting of a Human Resource Policy, Training Policy, Syllabus and Curriculum, and the passage of the Immigration Amendment Act, 2012 (Act 848) as some of the achievements of the Service.

Others, he said, include the drafting of a legal handbook and most recently the passage of the Immigration Service Act, 2016 (Act 908) which seeks to strengthen the Service both operationally and administratively.

He said formulating a new strategic plan at the time is critical to the successful implementation of the Immigration Service Act, 2016 (Act 908).

He expressed his gratitude to the government, EU, IOM, Government and people of United States, International Centre for migration Policy Development for their continuous support and dedication to the course of the Service.