The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has hosted a high-level delegation from the European Union (EU), led by the EU Special Representative for the Sahel, Juan Crauviño, to deepen cooperation on border security, migration management, and resilience across the Sahel and Coastal West Africa.
The engagement reaffirmed the longstanding strategic partnership between Ghana and the EU, particularly in strengthening security preparedness in the northern frontier.
Juan Crauviño explained that his mandate involves working closely with all 27 EU member states, which requires an in-depth understanding of the realities on the ground in countries like Ghana. He noted that developing a coherent EU policy for the Sahel demands engaging member states to understand the dynamics, adding that his visit offered an opportunity to engage with the countries of the coast.
He commended Ghana’s internal security initiatives and vigilance, saying the country “has been resilient to the risk of incursions from terrorists because of local initiatives,” observing that Ghana is safe but very vigilant.
Reflecting on his meetings with the GIS Northern Regional Command, the Armed Forces, and civil society organisations, he said he was impressed by the good coordination between institutions in the Northern Region and the clear understanding of the challenges, particularly the unique border complexities created by porosity, deep family linkages, and fluid community movements, which he noted require a different management of issues compared to European borders.
Comptroller-General of Immigration, Samuel Basintale Amadu, welcomed the delegation warmly and expressed appreciation for the EU’s longstanding support. He emphasised that the Service does not take for granted the continuous technical and logistical assistance provided through the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, the International Organization for Migration, and various EU-backed initiatives.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Immigration Service has received essential operational working equipment from the German government worth one million seven hundred and seventy-four thousand Ghana cedis at a brief ceremony held at the Service’s National Headquarters in Accra.
The items donated included a 16-seater Foton View CS2 bus, laptops, tablets, printers, helmets, and bulletproof vests aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and officer safety.
Receiving the items, the Comptroller-General of Immigration (CGI), Samuel Basintale Amadu, expressed the Service’s appreciation to the German government for its continuous support in strengthening Ghana’s border security, especially the northern frontier identified as volatile.
The CGI emphasized the longstanding partnership between the institutions and stated that the donation will significantly improve operational efficiency and enhance the quality of service delivery. He assured the German Embassy that the items will augment the execution of the Service’s mandate to a very large extent.
Holger Grossman, the German Defense Attaché to Ghana, who led a four-member delegation to the GIS Headquarters, in a statement to the Service, reiterated that the German government takes security seriously and is delighted to support the GIS in its mandate to enhance border security and facilitate safe migration.
