Ghana opens ultra-modern document fraud detection centre

Accra, June 16, GNA - Ghana moved a notch higher in gaining international recognition, to combat global crime when it opened an ultra-modern document fraud detection centre, touted as a novelty in sub-Saharan Africa.

The 147,000 Euro state-of-the-art facility christened "Document Fraud Expertise Centre" would become the focal point for the fight on document fraud in the country.

The centre would host a central database of all types of travelling and source documents whether genuine or fraudulent and enable the country to have access to the global data on criminals and fraudulent documents. The centre will interface with the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) operations, Kotoka International Airport and co-ordinating desk in all participating agencies such as the Document and Visa Fraud Unit of the Crime Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service, the Passport Office, Marriage Registry and Births and Deaths Registry. It would conduct document examinations and training for public institutions in document fraud detection, assist in research and designing of official documents and analyse fraud trends among other things. "This centre would contribute significantly to building Ghana's capacity to conduct investigation into cases of document fraud, using. modern tools and techniques, Mrs Elizabeth Adjei, Director of GIS said at the inauguration of the centre in Accra on Wednesday. "The centre will support the efforts of Ghana's law enforcement agencies to disrupt the activities of fraudsters and facilitators of illegal migration," she said. Mrs Adjei said the establishment of the centre, which would be manned by personnel of the GIS, would contribute to the reduction of fraudulent deals and protect the identity and integrity of official documents originating from Ghana. "The working of this facility will ensure that Ghana's identity remains intact."

Interior Minister Mr Martin Amidu, whose speech was read on his behalf noted that as a developing nation, Ghana is experiencing the effects of document fraud, especially as a gateway to West Africa. He said the trend had exposed some institutional weaknesses and shortfalls and the capacity of the statutory agencies to deliver and combat the international canker. Mr Amidu said the long-term objective of the centre is to develop into a fully fledge National Document Enterprise entity. "I look forward to seeing this unit establish itself as a centre of excellence not just for Ghana but for the whole ECOWAS sub-region and playing its role in building a Better Ghana," he said. Mr Andrew Fleming, First Secretary of Migration Policy of the British High Commission, who represented the European Union (EU), which funded the project, said Ghana has become a role model for West Africa in terms of its democratic stability. He pledged EU's commitment to accompany Ghana on the very successful path and help prepare the nation for regional and global challenges. The inauguration of the centre is the final activity marking the implementation phase of the AENEAS Programme. AENEAS is a EU programme to provide specific and complementary, financial and technical assistance to developing countries. Since the inception of the programme in 2007, the EU has committed 2.4 million Euros to build the capacity of the GIS and its collaborating agencies on the eradication of document and identity fraud and illegal migration in Ghana. 16 June 10