Ghana will in the next couple of weeks provide guns and ammunitions to personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) for effective patrol of the country’s border.
This followed the passage of the Immigration Service Act, enabling the personnel to carry weapons in their line of duty at the frontiers.
Mark Owen Woyongo, outgoing Minister of the Interior, announced this in Accra yesterday, when he handed over to the new Minister Prosper Bani, the former Chief of Staff.
Present at the handing-over ceremony included the Inspector-General of Police, John Kudalor, and other heads of the agencies under the ministry.
Mr. Woyongo said “as frontiers, it is only fair that the Immigration Service is empowered to carry arms and ammunitions.
“There is so much insecurity; we need to prepare for a bad day, the Woyongo, who has been reassigned to the office of the President said and urged personnel to make maximum use of the ammunition.
He added that the GIS and the Ghana prisons Service had earlier been assisted with decommissioned guns from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAP).
Giving his 18-month stewardship of the Interior Ministry, Mr. Woyongo said 11 bills, including that on non-custodial sentencing, had been drafted and were receiving attention, explaining that the Non-custodial Sentencing Law would help to decongest the prisons through community service.
He said the proposed Independent Police Complaint Commission to handle issues relating to the police institution was also receiving attention by the Police Council.
The minister disclosed that the Minister of Finance had released GH50 million for expansion of infrastructure for the Prison Service, adding that the “Afiase” Project aimed at mobilizing support, from the public for the Prison Service was attracting the needed support and urged the public to continue to render their support.
Mr. Woyongo thanked staff of the ministry and its agencies for their support and cooperation in spite of the logistic constraints, and urged them to give Mr. Bani similar support to help in maintaining law and order for successful elections.
Mr. Bani said there was much to be done in conflict prevention, security at border posts, logistics, capacity building, and narcotic control.
He said much emphasis would be placed on prevention of disaster, rather than recovery and called for maximum cooperation from the agencies.
<<Print>>