The Minister for the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, has told Parliament that 5,908 foreign nationals had been intercepted by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) trying to enter the country illegally, between March 30 and May 28.
According to him, Ghana’s neighbouring countries, namely Togo, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, accounted for the larger part of this figure. “Mr Speaker, a total of 5,908 foreign nationals were intercepted by the GIS between 30th March and 23rd May 2020, of which 1,702 were Togolese, 1,440 Burkinabe, and 482 Ivorians,” he said.
Mr Dery made this known to Parliament while responding to an urgent question on measures the ministry was implementing to prevent and manage the potential risk of importation of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) from Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Togo through Ghana’s borders. The Minister attributed the incident to the porous border situation in the country.
He said the country’s borders are generally porous with lots of unapproved routes, adding that the number of approved routes along Ghana’s 2,617km boundary is 42.
The Minister said those who were intercepted at the borders were sent back to their countries, while those who managed to get into the country, but were caught, were first subjected to the requirements of the ECOWAS protocols, thus making them go through a Covid-19 test, and administering care to those who test positive, while the negative ones were sent back to their countries.
Mr Dery also disclosed to the House that, between April 6, 2020 and May 28, 2020, 10,611 trucks came through Ghana’s borders with 19,172 drivers and mates. According to him, “under the current regime, particulars of all cargo trucks crossing through our borders are taken, including the names of drivers and their mates, and shared with the GIS commands at destination points to refer them to the Ghana health teams for screening, so that aspect is also being managed very well.”
On the general measures being implemented by the government through his ministry to keep the borders safe, the Minister said the government had set up a multi-agency task force, made up of the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service and Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to assist the lead agency, which is the GIS, at the borders.
Inland check points have also been mounted at strategic locations in the country to intercept those who would have illegally crossed the borders through unapproved routes, he observed.
On other measures being implemented by the government, the Minister said that the Ghana Immigration Service and other institutions are, first of all, sensitising the border communities to cooperate in giving out information.
Secondly, “they are also involved in intelligence gathering of suspected nationals smuggled into the country through unapproved routes, as was the case of some Guinean and Burkinabe nationals arrested some months back in Tamale, and thirdly, enhance enforcement operations through the monitoring of activities of foreigners in hostels, hotels, apartments, markets and other places.”
Mr Dery assured the House that the government was doing all it can to ensure that the borders remain closed and safe.
As part of measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, the government, on March 22, 2020, closed Ghana’s land borders
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