60 Immigration officers begin counter-terrorism training

Sixty Officers from the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) have begun a three-week training in counter-terrorism at Huhunya in the Eastern Region.

The officers constitute the second batch of trainees for the exercise which is aimed at enhancing their skills to prevent cross-border crimes.

The training, which forms part of a national counter-terrorism strategy to tackle head-on any threat of terrorism in the country, will help enhance the combat fitness, weapon handling, shooting skills, willpower and speed, among other skills of participants.

After the training, the officers will serve as a backup force to support the military and the police in maintaining law and order in the country.

Specialised training

Briefing the officers in Accra to send them off for the training, the Head of Operations, Deputy Commissioner of Immigration (DCOI) Isaac Luortey, urged them to be disciplined and exhibit good conduct.

He indicated that the training was to mould them for special assignments and internal security at the frontiers.

“Securing our borders against transnational organised crime and activities of terrorists are very crucial to the sustenance and security of the country”, he noted.

DCOI Luortey added that the officers would be deployed to the borders after their training in order to provide the needed security for exceptional situations that require increased firepower and specialised tactics, as well as contribute to internal security by supporting the military and the police.

The Commander for the RRU, Chief Superintendent of Immigration (CSI) Adam Osman, told the officers to take the training seriously, pay attention to detail and not go against instructions given them.

“Whatever you do will be assessed; therefore, take the training seriously,” he advised.

He reminded them of the coronavirus pandemic in the country and urged them to adhere to the safety protocols at all times in the course of the training.

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Background

The first batch of 60 Immigration officers underwent the training in October last year.

Also held at Huhunya, it was a joint exercise with officers from the Ghana Police Service who were trained in counter-terrorism, codenamed High-Risk Operation Survival.