The German Federal Police, through the German Embassy, has donated a 62-seater Eicher Skyline bus to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to enhance its operations and improve mobility.
The donation forms part of a broader collaboration between the GIS and the German government, aimed at enhancing border security, migration management, and capacity development.
Donation
At a brief ceremony to hand over the vehicle in Accra last Wednesday, the German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, said the donation stemmed from a demand-driven approach based on the identified needs of the GIS.
He further expressed his excitement with the way the cooperation between the GIS and the German Federal Police had been progressing, particularly in recent times.
In the past few days alone, he said the two had successfully collaborated on several high-value cases, and the process had been remarkably smooth and efficient.
“We hold the GIS in the highest regard. As the first line of defence against potential threats spilling over from neighbouring countries, your role is critical. We recognise your importance and deeply value our partnership.
“Looking ahead, we are hopeful that this close and trusted collaboration will continue. Ambassadors may come and go, but the strong ties between GIS and the German Federal Police will endure. I am confident this partnership will continue to yield impactful and meaningful results,” Mr Krull said.
Appreciation
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, who received the keys to the bus on behalf of the GIS, expressed deep appreciation for Germany’s longstanding support to Ghana.
He emphasised the historical and strategic ties between Ghana and Germany, which span security, diplomatic and economic cooperation.
“We are grateful for this gesture and the many other forms of support Germany has extended to us.
In a region plagued by terrorism, this partnership helps us secure our borders,” the minister stated.
He also appealed for weapon detection systems to boost national security, citing the growing threat of arms proliferation and violent extremism.
He emphasised that with the growing number of weapons in the hands of civilians, security must act swiftly to disarm and reduce the risk of conflict and extremism.
“Immigration officers still conduct manual searches at the borders, which we all know that it is not effective.
Our police, fire service, and other security agencies also lack such advanced equipment. As a government, we are working to retool all our security services and the need for additional WDS units remains urgent.
We would be grateful for further assistance in this regard,” Mr Mohammed-Mubarak said.
He assured the German government that the bus would be put to good use, adding that any investment in the country’s security infrastructure would never go to waste.
Significant support
The Comptroller-General of the GIS, Samuel Basintale Amadu, also acknowledged the significance of the donation in strengthening training and field operations.
“Mobility remains a key component in the training and capacity building of our officers.
This bus will greatly facilitate the movement of trainees and officials during various operations,” Mr Amadu noted.
He pledged to ensure the bus was well maintained and also expressed optimism about further deepening cooperation with Germany in the years ahead.
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