This was after they had undergone a six-month mandatory training to ensure their formal recruitment and integration into the Service.

Addressing the passing-out parade held at Assin Fosu on Tuesday, the Deputy Minister for The Interior, Naana Eyiah, ac­knowledged the contribution of the service towards addressing the nation’s security.

She explained that the recruitment of the personnel within the Immigration Service demonstrated the commitment of the gov­ernment to strengthen the nation’s borders, noting that the number of recruits attested to that resolve.

“The increasing security threat that we face in Africa and the West African sub-re­gion calls for recruiting additional personnel to man the country’s borders,” she said.

The government, Naana Eyiah explained, would not relent on its efforts in ensuring that the Immigration Service had required personnel to deliver on its mandate.

She further said that the GIS per statutes had the mandate of managing the entry, residence, work and ethics of persons in the country, while ensuring the security of the nation’s borders.

She mentioned cyber security threat, terrorism and cross border crimes as some of the issues that posed security threat to Ghana within the West African sub-region.

“The urgent need of the time requires that rapid measures are taken to enhance the territorial integrity of the country,” she indicated.

Naana Eyiah further stated that terrorism and cyber security were emerging global security threat in the sub-region, and cited recent reports of terrorists’ attacks in the sub-region with its associated loss of lives to civilians and military personnel.

She urged personnel of the Immigration Service to serve as worthy ambassadors and exhibit high professional standards in the discharge of their duties.

She also urged the officers to show dedication and also place the interest of the institution and the country above their personal agenda.