Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI) and Aflao Sector Commander at the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Frederick Baah Duodu, has revealed that officers have been deployed to the Aflao border following the reopening of the country’s land border by President Akufo-Addo.
He indicated that following the announcement, personnel from other security agencies have been enlisted to complement the current number of officers present at the borders. This, ACI Duodu explained, is to ensure that some unscrupulous persons do not use illegal routes to enter the country.
“The officers have been deployed there. It is an exercise that we were doing even before the closure of the border. Again, during the closure of the border, other officers were brought to Aflao to augment the strength of Ghana Immigration Service; that is, we have the military, [and] customs. So, there’s a combined team of security officers manning all the unapproved routes”.
ACI Frederick Baah Duodu
ACI Duodu highlighted that the officers have been stationed along these routes, although they are encountering some challenges with the usage of “unapproved routes” by persons making their way into the country. He lamented that once an illegal route is sealed, another opening is made the following day by these persons.
“So, the unapproved routes keep on increasing by the day. We are patrolling there just so illegal migrants don’t use these places”.
ACI Frederick Baah Duodu
Commenting on what the Service is doing to salvage the situation, ACI Duodu underscored that his team will mount “inner checkpoints” to ensure that all those persons who gain access illegally into the country are apprehended and brought to the main border.
Despite the opening of the country’s land border, neighbouring country, Togo, still has its land borders closed. Touching on how officers are handling things with respect to that, ACI Duodu intimated that he is hopeful that the Togo border will be opened to ensure free flow of people.
“The Togo border too was closed by His Excellency the President of Togo. So, it’s just like the way the Ghana side was also closed by His Excellency the President of Ghana. So, whatever directives that will link to [Aflao] border should come from the President of Togo. So, it is our hope that if the Ghana border is [opened], maybe the Togo side will open because if it’s not opened, then the travel flow will not be there. Because when you are going to Togo now, you need to be able to satisfy all the restrictions requirements [and] protocols that are in place for you to enter Togo”.
ACI Frederick Baah Duodu
Implementation of President’s directive to open land borders
On his part, the Municipal Chief Executive for Ketu South, Maxwell Lugudor, indicated that his team is putting everything in place to make sure that the directive given by President Akufo-Addo is carried out smoothly. Mr Lugudor expressed that despite being at the borders earlier in the day, the “Togo side is not opened”. That notwithstanding, he noted that “they are allowing the people around the border, the locals to go in and out”.
The Ketu South MCE highlighted that per information available to him, it is possible the Togolese counterpart might also be opening its borders very soon, although he is not privy as to when it will be opened.
“I learnt His Excellency the President of the Republic of Togo might also be addressing the nation today or tomorrow for the borders to be opened”.
Maxwell Lugudor
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