Friday, 31 January 2014

FREE ENTRY AND EXIT- GHANA’S POROUS BORDERS



It was this past weekend, Saturday noon to be specific when I saw the news item on TV3. It was a news report filed by Odelia Ofori on the porous state of affairs at the Ghana- Burkina Faso border.

According to the report, it was far easier for one to walk through Ghana than it is for one to cross to Burkinabe Faso. This is mainly because the Burkinabe Immigration officials insist on seeing ones documents. Those without it pay a fine, something their counterparts in Ghana don’t do or don’t insist on.

This is a known fact. It is a widely known fact that the borders in the east, west, north of Ghana is very porous, and any dick can walk into Ghana with little difficulty. Again, corruption is very rife along these corridors.  So this reportage wasn’t anything shocking. it is an old problem which little is being done to solve by those whose job is to run this country like every serious country should.

What intrigued me was the response Francis Palmdetti, The Public Relation Officer of Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) gave. He acknowledged that the GIS face an enormous challenge in confronting the situation, which every serious country should in my opinion. I inferred three 'solutions' to addressing this issue:

First step is to resource the GIS with the necessary logistics. At present the staff strength of border guards is low. They also lack vehicles and computers (for data entry and processing of necessary documents), scanners. In essence, this ‘anybody-can-walk-through- our-border’ shall continue until such things are provided. In essence, lack of funding is posing a challenge.

Second, there is the need to discuss this issue in detail so that the necessary plan(s) of action could be developed to ameliorate the situation. (This will involve the setting up of a committee to deliberate on this for weeks, talking with everybody involved-from immigration and security experts, GIS top brass, government officials and ordinary citizens I assume).

Thirdly, even if the GIS want to roll out any plan of action it should be on a pilot basis. The plan should be tried out on piece meal basis to ascertain its level of success or otherwise. HMM!!

Can’t the GIS prevail on the government through the Interior Ministry to employ more people towards addressing issue of inadequate staffing? Or table a request to government on the need to secure our porous borders since it could be a conduit for criminals to infiltrate into the country as proven by the failed ‘underpants terrorist’, Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab?

As for committees to either investigate, develop policies or plans it is nothing new. I would for once been surprised if he hadn’t referred to that.

And trying a plan out on piecemeal basis in respect to immigration and border security? Gosh. Checking for those with fake or improper documentations shouldn’t be rocket science but here we are.

Until that is done, our Immigration Officers will be watching their Burkinabe counterparts scrutinize entrants into their land whiles watching people continue to breach our immigration entry requirements as they enter Ghana in their numbers.
   

2 comments:

  1. Charle, they can't even manage the toll check points in land, how would they manage a whole boarder?
    You get to a toll check point and the police look at your car and by 'expi' they determine if you should be stopped or not.
    it is worse at the boarders. Some people just pass through the bushes and enter and those who use the 'approved routes' have 'agreements' with the CEPS officers

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  2. Thanks for the best posting! Logistics in Ghana. Logistics in Ghana

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