The Ministry of Interior is taking urgent steps to strengthen the country’s borders to ensure they are safe from threats of the deadly coronavirus.
The Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery, who stated this, said his ministry will collaborate with the Ministry of Health to ensure smooth implementation of the guidelines and plans towards the fight of the virus should a case be recorded in Ghana.
The Health Ministry earlier this week announced its plans towards the fight against the virus.
These include the allocation of over GH¢2 million for the procurement of protective kits, which will be used for screening at various airports and entry points within the country.
Mr Dery also appealed to all Ghanaians who are coming from China to submit themselves for screening before they integrate into the system.
He was speaking to the media after the launch of a €5 million border protection project dubbed ‘Strengthening Border Security in Ghana’.
The four-year project aims at improving border management and security in Ghana by reducing irregular migration, human trafficking, the smuggling of goods and other cross-border crimes.
It will ensure greater security for citizens and visitors while guaranteeing the respect for the rule of law and human rights standards by border management authorities.
The project has two components. The first focuses on the support of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), which will consist mainly of border management equipment and training.
The Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Customs Authority will be associated for joint initiatives.
The second component is dedicated to civil society organisations, media networks and local authorities.
They will develop projects to improve the cross-border management of people, goods and services.
Funded by the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF), the project will be implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).
The minister acknowledged the GIS for collaborating with the EU and some countries within the EU over the years to implement very strategic projects all directed at effective management of migration in Ghana.
“Strengthening of Border Security (SBS) Project is coming at a very strategic time, as the GIS Strategic Plan is in its initial phase of execution and requires a boost for successful implementation,” he mentioned.
Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mr Kwame Asuah Takyi indicated that the GIS, recognising that many developing countries presently face a multiplicity of migration challenges, will not relent in its efforts to support the government in its quest to effectively manage migration.
He assured the ICMPD that the GIS would ensure that the necessary tools, equipment and resources that would be required of the service to facilitate the smooth implementation of the project would be made available to the project implementation team.
Source: John Elliot HAGAN,thefinderonline.com