Cooperate with GIS to protect country against criminals, extremist groups’
The Volta Regional Commander of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Deputy Commissioner of Immigration (DCOI) Noah Ahomka Yeboah, has called on the chiefs and people of the Volta Region to cooperate with the personnel of the service to protect the country against criminals and extremist groups.
DCOI Yeboah said the Volta Region had the largest number of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) members entering into the country than any other region, which called for strategic security measures to protect the country.
Speaking in an interview with The Ghanaian Times in Ho yesterday, he mentioned that the regional command of the GIS had instituted measures to ensure adequate security of the country including the inland immigration posts at Asikuma and Sogakope.
DCOI Yeboah indicated that the call by the Volta Regional House of Chiefs (VRHC) to remove the immigration posts at Asikuma and Sogakope was impossible since its absence would pose serious security threat to the country.
He explained that the immigration post at Sogakope took care of all the unapproved routes in southern part of the Volta Region including the various unapproved routes at the Aflao border and the Asikuma post also would arrest criminals who illegally entered the country through the unapproved routes in Ho Municipality, Wli, Leklebi and porous entering points in the Oti Region.
Moreover, Mr Yeboah assured the VRHCs that the posts at Asikuma and Sogakope were strategically positioned to address the security needs of the country, and not meant to intimidate and harass them.
The Regional Commander also noted that he was prepared to meet with the House anytime to make the position of the posts clear to them and with just a phone call, he would respond since security should be regarded as a collective efforts by all.
The VRHCS President, Togbe Tepre Hodo, it is recalled in April this year appealed to the government to remove the two immigration posts at Asikuma and Sogakope after three members of the House, the Paramount Chief of Akoefe, Togbe Drake Tsigbe IV, the Paramount Chief of Amugo Vego, Togbui Tenge Dzokoto Gligui, and the Paramount Chief of Tefle, Togbe Nakakpo Dugbaza VII, complained about harassment they suffered in the hands of Immigration personnel at the two border posts.
However, when The Ghanaian Times contacted the Vice President of the VRHCS, who is also the Paramount Chief of Battor Traditional Area, Togbega Patamia Dzekle, on the decision of the House on the issue, he said the House would soon come out with a press statement on the matter.
FROM SAMUEL AGBEWODE, HO