Minister Directs Border Security Agencies To Tackle Criminal Activities

Ms Helen Adjoa Ntoso, the Volta Regional Minister, has appealed to agencies manning the Ghana-Togo frontier at Aflaoto urgently devise strategies to tackle rising criminal activities in the area. She said these activities, including rampant illegal crossings to and from Ghana, were threats to national security. Ms Ntoso made the call during a snap visit to the border, prompted by a news report claiming breakdown of order along the frontier. She said happenings in West Africa made curbing indiscipline and lawlessness more pressing. Ms Ntoso said reports of commercial motor riders ferrying travelers across at will and dodging scrutiny posed threats to national security and must not be allowed. She called for the collaboration of the agencies and that if necessary the military could be called to assist. The Minister also called for ruthless action to break rings of criminal youth posing as security personnel and robbing unsuspecting travelers of monies under the pretext of checking for fake currency notes. She also demanded that people willing to deal in currencies got registered under Forex Bureau regime, to enable effective monitoring. �Enough is enough and decisive action is needed to prevent the threats and the indiscipline,� the obviously distraught Minister said. Ms. Ntoso appealed to the Municipal Security Committee, including the agencies to meet the local stakeholders including chiefs and youths on the issues. She said the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) would also meet in Ho on the way forward and accordingly brief government. The Minister, who inspected a section of the frontier up to the �Beat Nine� pedestrian entry point, admitted barbed wires needed to be erected and access roads built along the border for effective patrolling. �The situation calls for collaboration of the various agencies to fight the problems in the interest of the country,� she said. Regional and Municipal health managers briefed the Minister on efforts in place against the deadly Ebola outbreak in the sub region. Mr. Osman Adams, Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) Aflao Border Patrols Commander, admitted that locals were aiding foreigners to cross in and out of the country and that unarmed officers were challenged. Mr. Confidence Hiadzi, Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Aflao Sector Commander, said staff shortfall was a major challenge. He said the agencies would be going on joint patrols soon.