Maiden Council for Ghana immigration service inaugurated

The First-ever Council for the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) was inaugurated with a call on members to adopt a more comprehensive and cooperative approach in dealing with matters affecting the Service.

Mr Ambrose Dery, the Minister for the Interior, who made the call said, Ghana has become an increasingly desirable investment and travel destination and the quality of the Council was a boost to the capacity of the GIS to make good its mandate.

He said resourcing the GIS to effectively and efficiently manage migration in the country and contribute to national Security would demand bringing the expertise and knowledge of the Council to bear in order to achieve the goals of the Service.

The 13-member Council has Dr Edward Prempeh, a Kumasi-based Medical Practitioner as its chairman.

Other members are Mr Kwame Asuah Takyi; Comptroller-General of GIS; Mrs Adelaide Anno-Kumi; Ministry for the Interior; Mr Emmanuel Enos, Director of Passport, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration; Mr Eric Afari, GIS; Mr Samuel Adjei Mensah, GIS; Mrs Stella Dede Willaims, Ministry of Finance.

The rests are Mr K. Hodari Okae, GIS; Mr Matthew Amposah, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s Department; Mr Peter R. Zwennes, Ghana Bar Association; Ms Hager Dery, President’s Nominee, Mr Anthony Namoo (ESQ), President’s Nominee, and Mr Benjamin K. Gyasi, also President’s Nominee. Mr Dery also charged the Council members to have a stake in ensuring the full implementation of the Immigration Service Act, 2016, Act 908 and the Immigration Service Regulation 2016, L.I. 2245, which were recently promulgated.

“Notable among the issues is the deployment of Ghana Immigration Service Officers to collaborate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in visa matters in Ghana’s missions abroad, among others,” he said, adding that the President’s expectations of the Council were great.

Dr Prempreh, who was also a former Presiding Member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, thanked the President for selecting and appointing them to assist attain his vision and mission, and also be given the opportunity to serve the country.

“We appreciate that the task ahead is enormous and we promise to contribute our quota to effectively and efficiently manage migration in Ghana. We promise to discharge our duties diligently under the Immigration Service Act 2016, Act 908 and L.I. 2245.

“We would pursue the issue of Immigration Officers being sent to missions abroad and also help the border Patrol team to deliver on its mandate. We promise once again to discharge our duties faithfully and conscientiously to the best of our ability during our tenure of office,” he said.

The Minister earlier led the Council members to administer the official Oath and the Oath of Secrecy.

This is the first appointed Council since Act 908 of the GIS Act 2016 came into force.

The GIS basically is mandated to regulate and monitor the entry, residence, employment and exit of all foreigners in Ghana as well as monitoring the movement of Ghanaians into and out of the country.