The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) on Thursday embarked on an operation to arrest foreigners who are in Sunyani and its environs in the Bono Region without the requisite immigration permits.
They mostly targeted those who are engaging in criminal activities, including prostitution. In the process, the operation triggered some intermittent scuffles.
At about 10 am on Thursday, personnel of the service in a white pickup stormed the main streets of Sunyani and started arresting some of the illegal immigrants, some of whom were selling phones on the pavement of the road.
Those who resisted the arrest were forcibly bundled into the pickup and sent to the GIS command located in the regional coordinating council. Some took to their heels leaving their wares behind, while others peacefully obeyed orders.
An officer, whom DAILY GUIDE identified as Attipoe, said the commander was not ready to give any explanation since they were discharging their legitimate duties.
However, some of the foreigners, including Nigerians, alleged they were released after the command asked them to pay GH¢100 each.
“They also asked us to write statements to show our names, where we come from, where we are living in Sunyani, what business we are doing in the city, whether we have passport or resident permits, among others. After this, they asked us to pay GH¢100 each and those who couldn’t pay were detained,” Nelson Kechuku, a Nigerian who was arrested, claimed.
Investigations showed that some of the Nigerians who were arrested belonged to different Nigerian associations in Sunyani, including ‘Nigerians Phones Business Association’ and ‘Igbo Country Union’.
The GIS officers reportedly relied on the executives to identify their members and those who did not belong to any of the associations and did not have resident permits would be treated as illegal immigrants, according to GIS.
danielyaodayee@yahoo.com
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani