CGI Kwame Asuah Takyi (middle) and other border management stakeholders after the commencement of the programme
The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and other border management stakeholders from the West African sub-region yesterday met in Accra to review their achievements and discuss future strategies.
The meeting also explored ways of sustaining the progress made since the commencement of the project in 2020.
The three-day workshop, which brought together other border management stakeholders such as the police, customs, and gendarmerie from five other West African countries including Ghana, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Togo, will also discuss lessons learnt for future border security initiatives.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Comptroller General of the Ghana Immigration Service (CGI), Kwame Asuah Takyi Esq, said the project has largely met its intended objectives.
He said the Service has received immense support which has gone a long way in equipping the various border posts to combat irregular migration effectively.
Mr. Asuah Takyi further expressed gratitude to the European Union, Centre for Migration Policy Development and other development partners for their support over the years.
He called on all stakeholders to collaborate to address the complex challenges facing the region, to ensure a safer and sustainable management of the country’s borders.
Irchad Razaaly, EU Ambassador to Ghana, for his part, stated that the Strengthening Border Security Project (SBS), has been able to foster operational exchanges between relevant stakeholders and experts in the region.
The ambassador also mentioned that the project has trained more than 700 officers in contingency planning, fighting against terrorism, and document verification among others, thereby reducing the challenges in combating irregular migration in the region.
He said apart from supporting the country to address security problems at the border posts, the EU has also supported the country in conflict prevention in the region as well as delivered armoured vehicles to support the Ghana Armed Forces.
According to him, though the SBS ends this year, the closure will mark the beginning of stronger relationship to roll out other projects to support various institutions in the region.
Dr. Mojisola Sodeinde, Head of West Africa Region, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), also said effective border management is not only a national imperative but a regional commitment to uphold the values of safe mobility and cooperation aligned with the ECOWAS free movement protocol.
The three-day workshop under the theme “Strengthening Regional Partnerships for effective Border Management, Strategies, Lessons Learned and Future Directions,” started yesterday and will end tomorrow.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah