Eleven Officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) have completed a 5-day Trainer of Trainers course on Community Engagement and Policing (CEP) at the Eastern Premier Hotel in Koforidua.
Speaking on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Immigration (CGI) at the closing ceremony, the Head of Border Management, Deputy Commissioner of Immigration (DCOI) Emmanuel Laryea Kwei, enumerated that border security is not simply about guarding boundary lines, but also concerns the safety and peace of border residents.
In line with the National Security Strategy which highlights a human-centred inter-agency approach, the Head of the Border Management Department charged that Officers consider themselves as serving people and communities in all friendliness, even as they remain vigilant.
According to DCOI Kwei, border residents remain important allies of the GIS in the execution of its mandate of border protection, especially in the face of threats of terrorism and violent extremism.
“As citizens, however, they are also the reason why we protect the borders – the ultimate beneficiaries, and their welfare must not be lost on us”, DCOI Kwei charged.
Speaking on behalf of the Senior Programme Manager of the Immigration and Border Governance (IBG) Unit at the International Organisation of Migration, Ghana (IOM Ghana), IBG Officer, Mr. Kojo Wilmot, explained that the project formed part of the five strategic areas of IOM Ghana, namely; Border Infrastructure and Equipment, Information Management and Digitization, Contingency Preparedness and Response, Community Engagement, and Regional Cooperation.
Having supported the GIS, especially in areas of infrastructure and information management by renovating border posts such as Namoo, Mognori and Pulimakom in the Upper East Region, equipping facilities with the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) and several other logistics, the workshop formed part of efforts to deepen the Service’s engagement and promote healthier border communities, Mr. Kojo Wilmot explained.
He encouraged participants to implement the lessons from the workshop and pass on the knowledge received to other Officers.
On her part, Acting Head of the Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Department (PPMED), Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI) Elizabeth Danso expressed profound gratitude to the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the United States (US) for sponsoring the workshop and IOM Ghana for the well-timed project.
She encouraged the participants to count themselves fortunate to have been selected and trained as the first trainers for the all-important concept.
Head of Public Affairs, ACI Michael Amoako-Atta, who facilitated the workshop with Immigration Control Officer (ICO) Abigail Peters and Assistant Immigration Control Officer I (AICO I) Pious D. Serwonu, encouraged participants to deploy cultural intelligence, conflict resolution and good communication skills in order to address existing issues of animosity towards Officers in certain areas.
The workshop assembled Public Affairs and Community Engagement (PACE) Officers from different Commands across the country with the objective of boosting their capacity to collaborate with community members in addressing local challenges.
The curriculum included courses on Community Engagement and Policing, Peacebuilding, Conflict Resolution, Community Safety Initiatives and Problem-solving, Fighting Transnational Organized Crimes, Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, Cultural and Religions Orientation, among others.
