Interior Minister lauds Aflao Border security for teamwork

The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has commended personnel of the various security agencies at the Aflao Border Post for their teamwork and sacrifices in their operations.

He said their roles had helped to reduce crime at the frontier.

Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak said this when he visited the border post last Tuesday as part of his two-day working visit to the Volta Region.

He said in recent times, the government was worried over the inflow of undocumented foreigners through various unapproved routes into the Volta Region.

For instance, last year 314 victims of human trafficking were rescued and 103 perpetrators of the crime were arrested, he said.

He revealed that 90 per cent of those arrested were Nigerians, and that all the undocumented immigrants entered the country through the Volta Region.

The minister said, however, that due to the collaboration among the security agencies in Aflao that trend had been curbed.

“Clearly, you are working together; continue to do so in the national interest,” he entreated personnel of the security agencies.

Illumination

Mr Mohammed-Mubarak announced plans by his ministry to provide solar lights along the border to keep the stretch illuminated throughout the night.

He gave an assurance that the ministry would soon address some of the challenges facing the security agencies, ranging from basic logistics to decent accommodation.

He later held a closed-door meeting with commanders and personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Police Service, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, and the Ghana National Fire Service.
         

GIS sector commander

The Commander of the Aflao Sector of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Deputy Commissioner of Immigration (DCI) Mark Asamoah-Boakye, told the Daily Graphic, prior to the meeting, that the service had embarked on community engagements and policing strategies to promote locals in border security management.

That, he said, was also to foster trust and collaboration between the GIS and the community.

“We have also organised internal capacity building to enhance the operational efficiency of the immigration officers in the areas weapon handling, cultural orientation, religious sensitivity, and gender responsiveness,” DCI Asamoah-Boakye added.

He said there were currently 720 immigration personnel in the Aflao Border Sector Command who were committed to ensuring safety at the frontier.