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1,089 foreign nationals arrested, repatriated over illegal entry into Ghana
About 1,089 foreign nationals who entered Ghana through unapproved routes have so far been intercepted and repatriated by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) in the Bono Region.
The foreign migrants made up of 240 Burkinabes, 506 Togolese, 224 Ivoirians, 50 Guineans, 30 Nigeriens, 30 Nigerians and nine Malians who are mainly farm hands were arrested between March 31 and the second week of May.
Among the figure was the Bono Region’s first COVID-19 case recorded in March 20, 2020.
The Bono Regional Commander of GIS, Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI) Charles Yaw Bediako disclosed this to the Ghanaian Times here in Sunyani yesterday.
The Regional Commander said the foreigners were able to enter the country through the support of their Ghanaian counterparts resident at the border who aided them with the use of motor bikes and tricycles.
Mr Bediako said as a result about 23 motor bikes and tricycles have so far been confiscated.
The Regional Immigration boss noted that although the driver unions have been warned against picking foreigners at their various stations, the directives have gone unheeded making it difficult for the practice to be stopped.
He called on the people especially those resident at the border to abide by the call by the President to be citizens of the country by stopping the ungodly practice in order to prevent a further surge in cases of COVID-19 in the country.
Meanwhile, Immigration Officers on duty at the Berekum check point on Friday arrested a 48- year-old ford driver Kwaku Antwi for attempting to bribe officers with GH¢1,700.00.
He was arrested for carrying 17 foreign nationals who were travelling from Cote D’Ivoire to Sankase in the Northern Region.
The commander at the Berekum checkpoint, Assistant Superintendent of Immigration Isaac Osei Asamoah who briefed the Ghanaian Times on the arrest said the driver would be processed for court to serve as a deterrent to other drivers who may be contemplating on engaging in similar acts.
FROM DANIEL DZIRASAH, BEREKUM
Troubled and anxious citizens in Damongo of the Savannah Region have expressed concerns about the number of young people, believed to be under the age of 18, involved in ‘shisha’ smoking in pubs and drinking spots within the township.
Eyewitnesses say the minors were seen patronising nightlife venues, where Shisha smoking happen in the open.
The situation has sparked renewed public concern over the enforcement of child protection laws and regulations governing the operations of entertainment centres in the municipality and country as a whole.
An eyewitness, who spoke to The Spectator on conditions of anonymity for security reasons, noted that the situation was becoming increasingly common.
“This is not a one-off incident. It is becoming very common, but residents like us cannot openly report or speak about it because our lives will be at risk,” he said.
Under Ghanaian law, minors were prohibited from patronising Shisha.
Public health experts have consistently warned that shisha use exposes users to harmful substances that can negatively affect brain development, respiratory health, and overall well-being, particularly among young people.
The residents believe the alleged incidents point to broader challenges relating to youth supervision, substance abuse, and weak enforcement of existing regulations and have called on municipal authorities, security agencies, and regulatory bodies to intensify monitoring of pubs and entertainment centres to ensure compliance with the law.
In an effort to address the menace, Mr Salisu Be-Awurbi, the Savannah Regional Minister, has led public education campaigns, engaged security agencies, and supported enforcement actions to address the rising use of illicit substances in the region.
Wura Kelly Seidu Boresah I, the Chief of Damongo, has also called on all stakeholders including parents, community leaders, institutions, and young people to actively support efforts to curb drug abuse, warning that the rising consumption of hard drugs poses a serious health threat to the future of the youth in the Savannah Region.
He also cautioned individuals involved in the sale and distribution of illicit drugs to immediately desist from the practice, stressing that offenders will face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law.
From Geoffrey Buta, Damongo, Savannah Region
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Dr Theresa Baffour, an advocate for ending violence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAHM SAHW Foundation, has said that society plays a critical and pivotal role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
According to her, domestic violence is a major contributor of making women, who are mostly the victims, mentally derailed and unable to engage in economic activities.
She said this when the foundation called on the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to solicit support for the initiative by the “Strong and Healthy Minds, Strong and Healthy Women” (SAHM SAHW) to combat domestic violence within the Ga State.
The visit was occasioned by the fact that domestic violence cases have become quite prevalent in the Ga communities and is retarding growth.
According to her, the canker was an impediment to national development because the victims were usually tortured and would have to go through series of therapies to return to the right state of mind.
Dr Baffour mentioned that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) places a mental toll on women, and was, therefore, important to break the cycle through comprehensive mental health support, crisis intervention and empowerment programmes in communities with high rates of GBV.
This intervention, she underscored, would help in empowering the denigrated victim of domestic violence to soundly heal, build and thrive.
Dr Baffour added that the initiative would provide holistic, trauma-informed mental health care and advocacy for young women affected by domestic violence.
According to her, the above statement would create safe spaces for healing and equipping them with entrepreneurial skills for renewed hope and empowered life.
The Ga Mantse pledged his support for the laudable initiative to combat domestic violence and also acknowledged the need to address it in the Ga State.
Further endorsement came from Justice Julia Naa-Yarley Adjei Amoah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Ga Mantse, as she commended the team of SAHM SAHW Foundation for taking a bold step to end the canker in the Greater Accra.
She added that it was a step in the right direction to save vulnerable women from torture, stress and emotional abuse.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
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