Can GIS Fine And Jail Property Owners, Landlords?

The law could soon catch up with property owners (landlords) in Ghana, as they risk being fined GHc 1000 (US$ 500 equivalent) or face a prison term of three years if they rent their property to undocumented immigrants.

The warning comes following an attack on Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) personnel last week at Kasoa near Accra by some illegal foreign nationals believed to be Nigerians.

Superintendent Michael Amoako-Attah, PRO of Ghana Immigration Service (GIS ) says every landlord must do background checks before they rent their property out to would-be tenants.

He says GIS will soon clamp down on illegal immigrants that are being harboured by law-breaking landlords, warning property owners will be prosecuted if they flout the law.

"Every property owner before you sign lodging or leasing agreement be sure that they've every proper documentation---passports and the requisite residential permit. Anyone who contravenes will be fined GHc 500 or face imprisonment for a term of three years or both," Mr. Amoako-Attah said.

Sounds like a done deal isn't it?

But it isn't as cool as cucumber. Matter of fact, it'ss deeper and wider than that. It even looks tricky too, if you look at it critically.

You know anytime I hear the word 'WARNING' coming from the corridors of the police or any security agencies I cringe. I roll my eyes like an owl and I ponder:

What the heck is going on?

I ask myself: Do these guys have the firepower in their bellies? Can they really clamp down illegal immigrants hiding or walking under the shadows? Do they have the wherewithal to prosecute their foreboding warnings?

And I know the answers to all the questions.

Yes, I do. The answers aren't far-fetched. However, I will save them at the bank and cash them when need be.

According to GIS the practice of renting property to foreigners without proper immigration documents over the years has led to a wave in crime as their activities cannot be monitored.

That assertion is debatable and I tend not to accept it as the main cause of the surge.

And here's why:

First of all, does the immigration authority know the number of Illegal immigrants in Ghana now?

Fact is, illegal immigrants are a reality in Ghana, no one can deny that. But I don't think GIS has reliable data to track down the trend.

I stand to be corrected though.

Indeed numbers are important. They count so much as help one to plan successfully and execute a planned project effectively.

Take the United States, for example, there are an estimated 11-11.5 million undocumented immigrants in the US currently. Though the authority (ICE) may not be able to deal with the problem ruthlessly or arrest every undocumented individual resident in the country, it hugely helps them to know whether the numbers are ascending or descending.

Secondly, who's renting to these undocumented immigrants?

What kind of tenants are they?

Do the landlords do background checks?

And I can say perhaps the majority don't do that exercise. There's no background check, no credit, no eviction history etc.

GIS says it has intensified strict implementation on the regulations on entry and residence of foreigners in the country. It also appreciates the fact that they need to up their game plan in terms of border security check and many more, stressing it would ensure that every foreigner in the country is duly documented and permitted to stay in Ghana.

Those are some of the challenges that the authorities are facing now. However, there are several if not many. They're actually in layers and probably more convoluted than they appear.

The country's borders are so porous.

There are so many unapproved routes at the western, eastern, and northern corridors.

Many neighbouring west African nationals enter Ghana by land but mostly through the unapproved routes.

Ironically, the few with or without proper documentation that goes through the checkpoints are either able to beat GIS or abuse the system.

How do they abuse it?

Over the years there'd been reported cases where illegal immigrants had paid their way in. Yes, they pay immigration officers to enter.

Now you understand when I say things could get tricky. The officer who wants to clamp down illegal immigrants is himself taking bribes from the law-breakers.

The question is: Are we going or coming?

Or how does that work? It's certainly a conundrum!

Let me remind readers, in case you've forgotten the 'Sakaman Junction' incident in Accra.

In November 2018, (that's roughly three months ago), some armed policemen and four immigration officers slogged it out. This followed a misunderstanding over the custody of four Nigerians, GIS officers had arrested for alleged immigration offences.

The police turned against one of their own.

No kidding, they did!

It was understood the police from the Odorkor District Command had reportedly attacked and 'bullied' the four GIS officers to release the suspects. Eventually, three out of the seven that were held at the cells broke jail and escaped arrest.

So what do you think happened?

Simply, money had changed hands.

You see how complicated it is...

I think everybody is party to this rot in our society. There's no doubt about that. It's therefore not prudent for one to blame the past and present governments alone for probably not adequately resourcing the security agencies.

It's unkind to blame the Customs Service for pilfering and underwriting invoices. And it's also uncharitable for one to lay all the blame at the doors of the Police. They aren't the only service or people that take bribes.

Journalists take it in brown envelopes, judges and lawyers take it too. Nurses and doctors receive it, teachers, bankers and farmers cannot be exempted. Pastors take it big in the name of Jesus Christ. Oh, and the chiefs.

So who else would you exempt, if the professed saints are complicit?

Can GIS prosecute landlords?

By law, it can but it lacks the mojo to enforce its own regulations. Elsewhere in the US, Oklahoma state to be precise, it's a felony for landlords and property managers to provide housing to undocumented immigrants.

The law is very explicit. "It shall be unlawful for any person to conceal any alien within the state of Oklahoma, including any building."

I recall in 1999 at the height of the notorious serial murdering of our mothers and sisters I received a phone call from a young beautiful lady. I worked for Choice FM back then.

She'd sensed danger and she didn't want to let her guard down. Some rogues were aiming to harm or dupe her. I relayed the info to the police intelligence personnel at the Ghana Police Headquarters.

The criminals had set up a date and time to meet with the lady. The venue was Afrikiko Club House off the Liberation RD near the French Embassy in Accra.

In no time we laid siege and arrested the four hoodlums. Upon interrogation, we found out they'd rented a property at Aburi in the eastern region.

The landlord -- a very prominent businessman ( now deceased) had no idea the occupants in his property were hyenas. They included Ghanaians and Nigerians.

After the raid, neighbours in the neighbourhood told us the rogues leave home at dawn and return at twilight. They'd seen them jockeyed up and down, perhaps witnessed their nefarious activities but never bothered to give a tip-off to any of the security agencies in the country.

Remember this, if you see something say something. That's what has made the Mi5 in the UK, the FBI in the US and the KGB in Rusia. The British police are not magicians or terrestrial beings they rely partly on tipsters, patriotic individuals--- patriots who love people and country to have their butts covered and to maintain peace and order.

I know trust is a major issue. It's a huge problem that confronts us on a daily basis.

But we've got to start from somewhere else we'd be stuck in our tracks.