The Ghana Immigration Service, on Wednesday, presented certificates to 27 participants after undergoing a training course on fraud documentation.
Participants were drawn from the Immigration Service, Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service, Birth and Death registry and the marriage registration unit of the Accountant Generals Department.
The training was to enable the participants to use their expertise to detect and fight human trafficking and documentation fraud in the country.
Dr Peter Wiredu, Director of Immigration, who presented the certificates to the participants in Accra, said the project was part of the thematic programme on migration and Asylum, to equip and build the capacity of officers.
He said the programme was to help them in their collaborative efforts to use inter-state co-operation to manage migration as a contemporary phenomenon.
He said the programme, which commenced in 2007, was to improve the operations of the service and its agencies, to fight the growing incidence of document fraud, perpetuated in the country, adding that “we cannot afford to allow the criminals to have their way”.
Dr Wiredu said participants would be gazetted, to ensure that their expertise were recognized and put to maximum use for the benefit the country.
The Director commended the development partners for their support in the implementation of the project and expressed the hope that more assistance would be given.
Mr Gerald Duijfjes, the Netherlands ambassador to Ghana said the programme was meant to prepare the officers for the documentation examination certificate two, which is the advance level.
He said a delegation of expert would arrive in the country soon to conduct training on human trafficking and smuggling for officers.
Mr Justice Avenor, Assistance controller of Immigration, who represented the participants, thanked the developmental partners for the opportunity given them to combat documentation fraud.