Immigration Service arrest over 200 illegal immigrants since border closure

The GIS said the arrests were made in about 26 separate incidents.

Ghana borders have remained closed since March 22, 2020, as part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The Immigration Service has arrested a number of illegal immigrants who entered the country illegally. The latest being seven Burkinabes at the Ghana-Burkina Faso border.

The Public Affairs officer of the Upper West Regional Immigration Service, Ibn Yussif Duranah, told Accra-based Citi FM that there is a cause for concern.

“So far as I am concerned, we’ve recorded as many as 26 arrests from March that the borders were closed comprising as many persons as 196 and its a cause for concern. Some of the technicalities involved here are that Ghana we have our lockdown but have we received any repatriated Ghanaians from Burkina Faso, and that’s not the case because we have ensured that this directive by the president which is already our mandate is adhered to its fullest.”

Meanwhile, the president has promised to deal legally with foreigners who enter Ghana illegally and Ghanaians who help them.

He warned that “not only will persons who enter our country illegally be strictly dealt with, but so will Ghanaians who facilitate their entry.”

“These are unpatriotic acts and must stop. We cannot continue to allow a few persons, who are motivated by their own selfish, money-making interests, to endanger the lives of the rest of the population.”