GII join forces with NCCE to train border security officers

Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) join forces to teach border security agents about anti-corruption detection and prevention.

Mr. Michael Boadi, Funds Raising Manager at GII, stated that providing regular anti-corruption training for border control personnel was critical in order to improve their integrity and professionalism, raise their awareness of corruption risks, and equip them with the necessary skills and tools to prevent, detect, and combat corruption in their daily work.

According to Mr. Boadi, globalization has made it vital for border control authorities to play a crucial role in permitting the flow of products and people across borders while maintaining national security.

Presentations, case studies, group discussions, and role-play exercises were among the interactive training modalities used at the Ashaiman training programme.

The Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana Revenue Authority's Customs Division, the Ghana Police Service, the District Security Council of Ashaiman, the Ministry of National Security, the Narcotics Control Commission, Port Health, and Port Agricultural Extension were among those who took part.

However, he cautioned that the negative impact of corruption, along with limited resources and accountability mechanisms, has resulted in porous borders that are difficult to monitor.

These have led to a wide range of illegal activities, including human and drug trafficking, weapon smuggling, organized crime, and terrorism, putting people's safety and security at risk, he said.

He said that corruption had a significant role in allowing foreign illegal immigrants to enter the country since using illegal roots became an option when there was an ulterior motive.

He claimed that the incidents in neighbouring countries involving terrorism and extremism were widely known and that Ashaiman was picked among the five border crossings based on study and expertise because of its diverse population.

He noted that the community was critical when discussing migration and the security implications for immigrants.

Furthermore, criminals typically dispersed and sought areas where they had followers or social networks.

According to the GII Funds Raising Manager, the training workshop was part of a project called "Prevention and Countering Violent Extremism and Terrorism," which aimed to contribute to an effective, transparent, and responsible border security management architecture in Ghana.

—CDA Consult II Contributor