The Tema Regional Office of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), is investigating 12 foreigners, suspected to be illegally staying and working in the country.
Assistant Director of Immigration, Emmanuel Otchere-Boakye, Tema Regional Immigration Commander,who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tema on Thursday, said the 12, made up of one male and 11 female, would be repatriated to their countries of origin,
when found to have breached Ghana's immigration laws.
Mr Otchere-Boakye said, in 2009 a total of 13 immigrants, working with companies in Tema, especially in the hospitality industry, were found to have breached the country's laws on work and resident permits.
He said out of the 13, nine, made up of one male, and eight females, were repatriated voluntarily to their home countries.
The Service, he said, however, gave the remaining four, the opportunity to finish the processes they had started, in acquiring the requisite documents.
Mr Otchere-Boakye explained, that every foreigner must acquire working permit from the Ghana Investments Promotion Centre (GIPC), or the Ministry of the Interior, after which, a resident permit must be applied for from the GIS.
The Tema Immigration Commander indicated that as part of the Service's mandate to enforce the country's immigration laws, personnel of his outfit, visited schools and companies under its jurisdiction to bring to book recalcitrant foreigners.
He called on the public, to volunteer information to the GIS, on suspected foreigners staying and working illegally in the country, to enable the Service to investigate into their
activities.
Mr Otchere-Boakye stated that the Regional Office was faced with logistical problems, which hindered its mandate to effectively monitor activities of foreigners, and the enforcement
of the country's immigration laws.
He said his outfit needed a spacious office accommodation as the five rooms it occupied at the White House at Tema Community Two were weak and inadequate.
The offices, he said, served the Commander, the enforcement unit, and the general office, which was congested.
The Tema Immigration Commander, added that, the Regional Office, had only one pick-up vehicle, which officers used to monitor the wide area under its jurisdiction.
The Tema Metropolis, Ga East and West Districts, Dangme East and West Districts, as well as the Adenta,and Ashaiman Municipalities, all come under the domain of the Tema Region of
GIS.