Thirty security operatives undergo investigative training

Published in the Daily Graphic on 3/12/2009, pg 34

Story: Matilda Attram
THIRTY security operatives from three agencies have benefited from an investigative training programme under the Aeneas programme.
The agencies are the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), the Ghana Police Service and the Passport Office.
The Aeneas programme is a three-year project undertaken by the EU, in collaboration with the Spanish Government, to educate security personnel from EU nations on measures to help counter fraudulent documentation and illegal migration among member states.
The training programme was based on investigations conducted into illegal migration and fraud documentation in the country and was expected to build the capacity of officers in curbing the problem of fraud documentation in Ghana.
The programme was on the theme, "Countering Document Fraud in Ghana".
The acting Spanish Ambassador to Ghana, Madam Rebecca Chantel Guineastal, in a remark, pointed out that illegal migration affected millions of people in many countries, leading to lack of the human resource needed to carry out development.
The Deputy Director of the GIS, Mr Moses Kwabena Gyemfi, indicated that the process of combating illegal migration and the use of fraudulent documents needed to be supported with effective measures because they posed a danger to a country's economy, especially its labour force.
He mentioned some dangers associated with illegal migration as the loss of lives and the inhuman treatment which survivors were subjected to.
"The issue of illegal migration and use of fraudulent documents in acquisition of travel documents continue to be a great worry to the nation and its bilateral partners. We at GIS find it timely and also a great opportunity to lead the implementation of the Aeneas programme on countering document fraud in Ghana," he stated.
He expressed appreciation to the Spanish Government for the implementation of the programme and urged participants to play leading roles in activities that would improve on the operations of the GIS.
The Aeneas programme started last year and is expected to end by June next year.