27 Immigration Officers interdicted over recruitment, visa fraud
The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has interdicted 27 officers for various offences related to bringing the name of the service into disrepute.
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The affected officers (three senior officers and 24 junior officers) were alleged to have been involved in offences, including recruitment and visa fraud, among others, contrary to Regulation 138 (1)(a) and (k) of the Immigration Service Regulations, 2016 (L.I. 2245).
A release signed by the Head of Public Affairs of the GIS, Chief Superintendent Michael Amoako-Atta, stated that the interdiction was to allow for a thorough investigation into their cases, in line with internal disciplinary procedures after which they would be prosecuted where necessary.
Affected officers
They are Chief Superintendent Philipson Adeti, Superintendent Dominic Eshun, Assistant Superintendent of Immigration (ASI) Marvin Essandoh, Senior Inspector (Snr Insp.) Augustine Nuamah, Snr Insp. Martin Owusu, Inspector (Insp.) Stephen Kofi Acheampong, Insp. Patrick Asante, Insp. Benjamin Darko, Assistant Inspector (Asst. Insp.) Victor Donkor, Asst. Insp. Daniel Danso Ntiamoah, and Asst. Insp. Wisdom Ahorlu.
Others are Asst. Insp. Wisdom Elorm Addo, Asst. Insp. Hamdiya Abass, Asst. Insp. Elizabeth Quainoo, Asst. Insp Isaac Dzihlornu and Asst. Insp. Edmund Agbotey.
The rest are Assistant Immigration Control Officer I (AICO I) Cosmos Dakora, AICO I Ebenezer Azumah, AICO I Bright Buabeng, AICOI I Collins Nyarko, AICO II Solomon Koney Laryea, and AICO II Samuel Kuranchie, Asst. Insp Mary Agyemang Duah, Immigration Control Officer (ICO) Iddrisu Adam, ICO Christopher Torgbenu, ICO Joseph Ampomah and ICO Francis Dabi.
The statement further encouraged members of the general public who had fallen victim to the alleged acts of recruitment and visa fraud to volunteer information to help the GIS in its investigation.
“Members of the public who have fallen victim to the alleged acts of these officers are encouraged to provide information to the Service to assist in investigations,” it added.
GIS’ challenge
The GIS has, in recent times, been fighting against recruitment fraud, as some unscrupulous persons dupe unsuspecting people seeking employment with a promise of helping them to be enlisted for a fee.
In March 2021, the GIS arrested two men- Awuah Forson, 46, and another, for allegedly defrauding about 30 young people on the pretext of securing placements for them in the service.
Forson, together with one Ekow Harkman, 71, was reported to have defrauded about 30 people to the tune of GH¢250,000.00 with the promise of recruitment into GIS.
Also in May 2020, a 53-year-old man, Kojo Sakyi, was arrested by the Western Regional Command of the GIS for engaging in a recruitment scam, involving GH¢5,000.00.
Sakyi, who was arrested at the AGIP filling station, near the Takoradi Jubilee Park, had lured one of his victims to the said location, intending to collect GH¢5,000.00 from him, after the victim had forwarded his certificates and other relevant documents to the former’s WhatsApp number.