The Minister of Interior, Henry Quartey has sent a strong word of caution to Immigration Officers at the Kotoka International Airport, KIA. Henry Quartey gave the warning when he visited the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) headquarters.
He said some of the officers of the GIS take advantage of their uniforms to assist visitors through protocol at the Kotoka International Airport. The minister said the action is not professional and must be stopped. Officers who fail to fall in line with the directive will be suspended.
“Men and women wear uniforms only to go and see off their friends at the Airport. They pull their bags right from the car, and walk through checking, walk them through Immigration and even security points all the way.
“When you disembark you see them lined up waiting for their friends. They take their bags. I have told the CG [Comptroller General] to send a message to them that it has to stop with immediate effect. And I mean immediate effect,” Henry Quartey stated.
“We will send plain clothes to go there. If an immigration officer is found around the arrival hall, or departure hall, engaging passengers please consider that you will be at home for a long time. And that will be coming from me, not the CG. So, tell them,” he emphasized.
Also, the minister urged the officers of the service to be at their best ahead of the general elections in December. He said their professionalism is very much an asset the nation would rely on to come out of the election clean.
“We are seriously relying on you and please don’t misquote me; we are relying on you to perform your professional duty as GIS before, during and after the elections.
“We must ensure free, fair and transparent elections. That is why I am saying if you want to do politics let us know so we can make an application for you to join a political party. So please all of you mind your uniform and work for Ghana our motherland,”