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Trading The Ghanaian Passport
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- Category: Editorials
- Created on Friday, 11 July 2014 00:00
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Trading The Ghanaian Passport
The acquisition of the Ghanaian passport is by far the easiest, relative to other West African countries. When nationals from neighbouring countries troop to Ghana in search of our passports, it is because they can be assured of securing the travel document with little or no hassle at all, thanks to willing bad Ghanaians, especially in the employment of State agencies.
A number of persons holding the Ghanaian travel document are being quizzed by security agents as we compose this commentary, over how they laid hands on the passports. We think that the interrogation of these persons is just a routine because at the end of the day nothing would come out of it.
We bet if there are Ghanaians who would dare challenge persons they doubt are citizens of this country yet possess our travel documents.
We wish to express umbrage at the ease with which bona fide citizens are willing to breach the security of their own country and assist foreigners acquire our passports.
With the Hajj season closing in, we are aware about how many persons would flood the country from neighbouring countries with the intention of acquiring our passports and travelling on same to Saudi Arabia – benefitting from our resources.
We condemn the attitude of government officials who condone this attitude, especially as this poses a major threat to the security of the country, including the image dent this could wreak on all of us when these foreigners engage in criminal activities abroad.
The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has an important role to play in the direction of apprehending foreigners who troop into our country to acquire Ghanaian passports. Much as we recognise this role of the GIS, we are also worried about how its work is impeded by many challenges – one of them being interference from political quarters as well as the appropriate logistics.
Many Ghanaians lack the appropriate sense of security as they take things for granted: these persons do not appreciate the importance of protecting the security and sovereignty of their country.
Security breaches taking place in other countries such as Nigeria, to such persons, are too distant to be of concern or bother to them.
It is unthinkable that foreigners can acquire Beninoise and Togolese passports: these are countries where the pre-approval procedures are so elaborate that foreigners can hardly elude the laid-down checks.
Not so in Ghana where regardless of the checks, there are people – some of them on the pay roll of government – ready to sell their country for a pittance.
In this age of Boko Harams, coupled with the challenge of porous borders, we fret over why people would ignore security precautions to the extent of closing their eyes to non-Ghanaians flaunting their travel documents.
Such state agents are responsible for the large number of foreigners coming into the country to register for the National Health Insurance Scheme, even when an equal number of Ghanaians have not been registered.
We cannot afford the repercussions of foreigners breaching our laws with impunity.
Source: Daily Guide/Ghana
No commentsClosing Remarks Of 45th Ordinary Session Of ECOWAS...
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- Category: Special Reports
- Created on Friday, 11 July 2014 00:00
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Closing Remarks Of 45th Ordinary Session Of ECOWAS
Excellencies Heads of State and Government,
Excellency, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana,
Excellencies Heads of other Delegations,
Excellency Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, President of the ECOWAS Commission,
Commissioners of the ECOWAS Commission,
Heads and Members of ECOWAS Institutions,
Distinguished Invited Guests,
Friends from the Media,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The 45th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government is almost over.
I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government or high Representatives for your engaging participation. I also wish to extend my thanks to every member of the accompanying delegations, observers and other invited guests for every role – whether big or small – that you have played.
Excellencies,
From last night’s informal but serious engagements through today’s all-day fruitful deliberations we have sought common ground and consensus in addressing critical issues and seeking solutions to some of the challenges confronting our sub-region. I wish to thank His Excellency President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of Mali for the updates he has given us on the situation in Northern Mali. The situation is still fragile and ECOWAS leaders remain committed to and supportive of the Government’s efforts to keep Mali united, stable and secure. We support the Government’s position that the territorial integrity of Mali is non-negotiable.
We continue to offer every support and solidarity to President Goodluck Jonathan and his Government in their efforts to defeat the terrorist activities of Boko Haram in parts of Nigeria. We have hope that the young school girls abducted by these terrorists will be freed unharmed and returned to their families soon.
Excellencies,
A major step was taken at this Summit to address in a firm and concrete manner the present danger of the Ebola outbreak in three Member States of our Community. A Fund to support the affected nations has already received immediate financial pledges and commitments. I wish to applaud the commitments of the leaders to support the West Africa Health Organisation and the affected countries.
We have amended some protocols and decisions aimed at promoting the Free Movement of Persons, Goods and Services. On the issue of the introduction of ECOWAS Biometric identification cards for our Citizens – this has been adopted in principle, pending a security appraisal of the Member States.
Excellencies,
We are more than aware that every laudable decision taken here can only bear fruit when we start to take action and implement them. I wish therefore to urge all of us to take the necessary steps – at the national level - for the implementation of decisions to benefit our people.
I wish, at this juncture, to commend His Excellency Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Commissioners and Staff of the ECOWAS Commission and ECOWAS Institutions, particularly the conference staff, for the impressive reports, memoranda and related documents made available during the Summit. We thank you for all the hard work that has gone into organizing this Summit and for the hard work that will continue long after this Closing ceremony. To every one of you, I say THANK YOU, MERCI BEAUCOUP, and MUITO OBRIGADO.
As we bring this Summit to a successful conclusion, I want to wish you Excellencies and your delegations, a safe journey back to your respective countries and homes.
I am confident that the decisions we are taking, the efforts we are making and the dreams we are pursuing will soon yield good results for a better future for our people and our sub-region.
On this note, I hereby declare the 45th Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, officially closed.
Thank you.
Source: ECOWAS Chair, President John Dramani Mahama
Mfantsipim Honours 4 Top Lawyers
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- Created on Wednesday, 09 July 2014 00:00
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Mfantsipim Honours 4 Top Lawyers
Four prominent Ghanaian lawyers are to be honoured at the 138th Mfantsipim National Fund-Raising Dinner Dance and Awards night in Accra scheduled for August 22, 2014.
ECOWAS leaders set up fund to deal with Ebola
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ECOWAS leaders set up fund to deal with Ebola
West African leaders, at the end of the 45th ECOWAS Summit of Heads of State and Government in Accra on Thursday, have set up a fund to deal with the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease in the sub-region.
"Some immediate commitments were made. One million dollars have gone into the fund, but Nigeria also made some direct commitments to the nations affected [Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea Bissau] totaling about three million dollars", announced ECOWAS Chairman, President John Mahama.
President John Mahama also disclosed the money would go into education logistics and technical support towards curbing the spread of the virus in the sub-region.
More than 500 people have died from the disease in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea Bissau since the outbreak of the deadly virus in February.
Ghana has not recorded any case. The disease is known to kill 90 percent of who get infected within days.
"I believe that the fund will help because so far one of the major reasons for being unable to stop the spread has been the lack of resources, especially protective clothing", President Mahama stated.
The leaders also agreed in principle to abolish resident permits, which would see the introduction of new biometric identity cards for all ECOWAS citizens for easy identification across borders.
However, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) is worried the process may cause problems for Ghana, if adequate infrastructure is not put in place.
Francis Palmdeti, GIS Head of Public Affairs, told Joy News, the abolition of resident permits could cause an influx of citizens from other ECOWAS countries into Ghana.
"We must have the resources and structures to regulate the movement of people and know who is on our country…but as I speak those structures are not in place ", Palmdeti said.
[GN]
Source: Myjoyonline.com
Kufuor blames Africa’s under development on lack of good leadership
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- Created on Wednesday, 09 July 2014 00:00
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Kufuor blames Africa’s under development on lack of good leadership
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has blamed Africa’s under development on what he says is the lack of good leadership.