The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has undertaken a shake-up of its top senior officers in a bid to strengthen its operations in the regional commands and also enhance its administration and human resource base.

The reshuffle, which takes immediate effect, affected 43 top senior officers, made up of some management members, schedule officers and regional commanders.

The Comptroller-General of Immigration (CGI), Mr Kwame Asuah Takyi, said the changes were to strengthen some key departments and schedules and also operations at the regional commands to tighten security at the borders and step up enforcement operations.

Changes

The Head of Administration at the National Headquarters (NHQ) of the GIS, Deputy Commissioner of Immigration (DCOI) Maud Anima Quainoo, has been moved to the Greater Accra Regional Command (GAR) as the Regional Commander, while Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI) Samuel Basintale has been moved from the GAR to the NHQ as Head of Administration, with the Head of the Human Resource Department (HRD), ACI Adowa Sika Ogunlana, moving to head the Training Department.

Also, ACI Michael Asare Bediako has been re-assigned from the Training Department to the HRD; ACI Francis Palmdeti, who until his posting was assigned to the Operations Department at the NHQ, heads to the Ahafo Region as the Regional Commander. Similarly, Head of the Document Fraud Expertise Centre (DFEC), ACI Kwabena Somuah Amponsah, moves to the NHQ/Operations, with ACI John Amon Ashie reassigned to the Operations Secretariat at the NHQ from the Intelligence Unit (Intel/ NHQ).

ACI Johnson Ferkah moves from National Enforcement to head the Kasoa Sector Command.

Deputy regional commanders

At the regional command level, 18 ACIs have been posted to the regional commands as deputy regional commanders to strengthen Immigration operations and command structure in the regions.

They include ACI Evelyn Asiedu Gyekye (Greater Accra), ACI Mark Asamoah Boakye (Savanah), ACI Francis Yaw Tachie (Northern), ACI Constant Boateng (Ashanti), ACI Ahmed Musah (North East), ACI George Arthur (Eastern), ACI Francis Banning (Upper East) and ACI Noah Ahomkah Yeboah (Volta).

The rest are ACI Martin Dodzie (Tema), ACI Emmanuel Oteng (KIA), ACI Justice Bosomtwi Ayensu (Ahafo), ACI Seth Appianing (Eastern), Chief Superintendent (C/Supt) Michael Brewu (Bono East), C/Supt Abraham Nyabi (Western North) and C/Supt Isaac Akomaning (Oti).

Four other senior officers -- ACI Isaac Morgan (Volta), C/Supt Samuel Donkor (Ahafo), C/Supt Henry Ackaah Duku (Bono) and C/Supt Emmanuel Nyarkotey Mensah (Ashanti) all take roles at their reassigned regions as regional operations officers

Others

In other changes, ACI Godson Atobrah has been posted to the Processing Section as the OIC/Commonwealth (NHQ); C/Supt Philip Andoh leaves the Operations Secretariat at the NHQ to Head the Immigration Professional Standards and Ethics (IPSE) Section at the NHQ, C/Supt Clive Darkura has been assigned from the Eastern Region to Winneba as officer in charge, while C/Supt Shadrack Azangweo has been promoted as second in command (Human Resource at the NHQ, with C/Supt Michael Asiedu Ampomah heading to the KIA Command as OIC/MIS from the NHQ.

Also, C/Supt Eunice Serwah Abeyie, C/Supt David Ansah and C/Supt Nicholas Alassani have been reassigned to the KIA Command; C/Supt Hans B. Williams and C/Supt Gershon Dela Dovie will now be at the Aflao Sector, with C/Supt Yaw Sarkodie Addo now joining the Border Management Department (BMD/NHQ).

In the final list of reassignment, C/Supt Seth Appiah Agyekum heads to Sekondi, C/Supt Johnson A. Benefo has been transferred to Bole, Supt Christian McOwusu also heads to Greater Accra, with Assistant Supt of Immigration (ASI) Elvis Alakawen transferred to the Immigration Service Academy and Training School (ISATS).

Dedication to duty

While congratulating the officers, Mr Takyi charged them to give of their best and remain dedicated to duty.

He said they had discharged their duties honourably in their previous roles and same would be expected of them as they head to their new stations.