A 15-member Parliamentary Select Committee on Defense and Interior has paid a working visit to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) at its National Headquarters in Accra.

The visit was to afford the committee an opportunity to obtain firsthand information on the activities of the GIS and dialogue on issues of border security and migration management.

In his welcome address, the Comptroller-General of Immigration (CGI), Mr. Kwame Asuah Takyi noted that as part of measures to guarantee effective migration management in the country, there was the need to speed up the mandate given to GIS to issue visas at Ghana’s missions abroad.

He said, the GIS has the expertise as well as the locus to ensure that travel permits granted to migrants and expatriates would be of no socio-economic and security threats to the nation.

“This has been the best practices among other Africa nations and the world at large and it is one of the surest ways of preventing illegitimate migrants from entering the country,” he said.

“Current global trends on security tells us that the crucial role of immigration to national security cannot be overemphasized” he added.

The Chairman of the Committee, Seth Kwame Acheampong averred that the financial and material resources needed by the GIS could not be negotiated and that the GIS needed all the necessary support to effectively contribute to the peace and security the country was enjoying. He made the observation after a 17 minute documentary on the operational activities of GIS was shown to the Committee.

The Committee assured the GIS of their unflinching support of ensuring the full implementation of the various provisions contained in the Immigration Service Act, Act 908 and better budgetary allocation to the GIS.

They also called for logistical provisions such as solar torchlights, life jackets, speed boats, arms, mobile health delivery van and other accoutrements to aid the personnel in their patrol duties at the borders to fight irregular migration, cross-border crimes and terrorism.