The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has expressed concern over the rising abuse of the ECOWAS Free Motion Protocol by residents of ECOWAS communities, warning that irregular migration, youngster trafficking, cyber fraud, organized avenue begging and different types of legal networks are more and more undermining safety inside Ghana.
These issues had been raised throughout a high-level assembly with a delegation from the West African Financial Institute (WAMI) led by Dr. Abraham Abdullahi on the GIS Headquarters in Accra.
The assembly happened as a part of WAMI’s analysis go to to evaluate challenges within the implementation of the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Motion, Commerce and the Use of the ECOWAS Biometric Identification System.
Faisal Disou, Deputy Inspector Common of Immigration for Command, Put up and Operations, warned that “Ghana is at the moment drawing loads of unhealthy actors into the nation”, stressing that proceeds from organized begging networks may very well be used to finance terrorism.
The dialogue additionally highlighted the gradual tempo of implementation of the ECOWAS Nationwide Biometric Identification Card, with solely Ghana, Senegal and Ivory Coast at the moment totally implementing the system. Forex disparities throughout sub-regions had been additionally recognized as a key problem.
Dr. Abdullahi famous that WAMI’s ongoing train will assist develop methods and benchmarks, together with a centralized database of ECOWAS residents to strengthen border administration.
Each organizations emphasised the pressing want for public advocacy and consciousness campaigns about common migration and the hazards of irregular migration and the usage of unauthorized border crossing routes.
GIS has introduced plans to strengthen border safety to safeguard nationwide safety whereas guaranteeing that the precept of free motion helps moderately than undermines peace and stability in Ghana.
Additional suggestions from the convention are anticipated to tell ECOWAS coverage reforms aimed toward saving lives, securing borders and advancing true regional integration.
