5 border posts in Ghana’s north renovated
Five border posts in three regions in the north have been renovated to help improve security operations at Ghana’s border posts.
Undertaken in partnership with the government of the United States of America (USA), the beneficiary borders are located in the Upper East, Upper West and North East Regions.
They are the Namoo border post, Pulimakom border post and Mognori, all in the Upper East Region while Bunkpurugu and Hamile border posts in the North East and Upper West Regions respectively.
Speaking at the handover ceremony at Namoo in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region, Wednesday, the Deputy Minister for the Interior, Naana Quansah Eyiah, said the US$1.6 million project-fitted with installation of Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities-had befitted the status of the borders, and would motivate personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to work harder in tackling security issues emanating from the borders.
She added that “this intervention marks a significant step forward in our unwavering commitment to fortifying Ghana’s territorial integrity and enhancing the overall border governance landscape.”
Strong borders, according to her, were the “cornerstone” of a secured nation and acted as the first line of defence against transnational crime, irregular migration and threats to public safety.
She said personnel from GIS, deployed at the beneficiary border posts would spare no efforts to effectively discharge their duties and safeguard the country’s territorial integrity.
Mrs Eyiah mentioned that the government was committed to investing in infrastructure, technology, training and the general well-being of Ghana’s border security personnel, including the GIS, explaining “these interventions align seamlessly with the government’s comprehensive approach to enhancing border security as articulated in the National Border Security Strategy and the National Security Strategy.”
The Comptroller General of the GIS, Kwame Asuah Takyi, said the project which was implemented under the “Strengthening Northern Borders of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo” project was executed by the International Organisation of Migration (IOM), with funding support from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the US government.
Touting the IOM for seeing to the successful implementation of the project, he noted that, “this intervention will contribute to the free movement of people across the various border crossing points and also enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of our border operations aimed at reducing irregular migration.”
Describing the intervention as “enormous and awesome,” the Comptroller General said the intervention would play an instrumental role in perverting and obstructing the movement of criminals, terrorists, and implement the needed health precautions at the borders.
He assured IOM that the facilities at the various posts would be put to good use, and called on other development partners to assist the service with the necessary resources to enable it to deliver on its mandate to the admiration and satisfaction of all.
A Senior Programmes Manager for IOM, Nnamdi Iwuora, noted of the organisation’s commitment to complementing efforts of the government to resource the security personnel to perform their duties at the borders effectively and efficiently.
He said the Paga border and three other border posts would receive similar renovation support from the IOM within the year.
FROM FRANCIS DABRE DABANG, NAMOO
