GIS ready for illegal aliens

THE EASTERN Regional Commander of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Mr. Joseph Odartey Lamptey, has said that with the co-operation of other security agencies, GIS is keeping vigilance at the regional borders to check illegal immigrants from entering the region.

This is because during Christmas festivities, criminal activities become the order of the day, hence the need to step up their control activities to check criminals especially from entering to create discomfort for innocent citizens.

Mr. Odartey Lamptey disclosed this to the Chronicle in an exclusive interview in his office recently at Koforidua. Asked whether some aliens, particularly from the Ivory Coast because of the war there have sneaked through, the immigration chief replied yes, but was quick to say that GIS is totally on the ground as far as inflows of the aliens are concerned.

About the long delay of passport processing, the immigration officer noted that apart from the issuing of passports, the GIS is also mandated to control movement of immigrants, hence the need to decentralise the service.

“Unless GIS is decentralised, it will continue to face the problem of infiltration by passport contractors and long delays due to work lead,” he pointed out. He therefore appealed to the government to decentralise the department so that passports will not only be issued in Accra.

Chronicle learnt that some applicants after filling their documents turn up a few days in their numbers at the regional office for their passports.

This is because of alleged collection of exorbitant fees from applicants by GIS staff.

So far, out of the 15 districts, GIS is having offices in only four, namely Birim South, Suhum Kraboa, Kwahu South and Odumase District. According to Mr. Lamptey, although the region is not in high demand for passports, it would have been better if the GIS is represented in all the 15 districts to reduce work load at the regional offices as well as reduce unnecessary travelling risks of the applicants.

He appealed to the various district assemblies to allocate some of their offices to the GIS for it to serve in their areas. To achieve the total check on criminals crossing borders to the region, he called on hotel managers in the region to always inform the security agencies of any suspected criminals who comes to hide in their hotels as well as residents who host aliens.

He therefore assured the residents that GIS is fully regulating or controlling the inflow of aliens by making sure that they do the right thing for all to live in peace now and after.