HISTORY OF THE GHANA IMMIGRATION SERVICE
HISTORY OF THE SERVICE
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SERVICE The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) started as the Immigration and Passport Unit of the Gold Coast Colonial Police Force under the command of Mr. Neville C. Hill, a British national. The Service had earlier on operated alongside Customs in the Customs Long Room at James Town where the old harbour is situated. The political status and economic circumstances of the time were such that it handled very minimal human traffic. In 1960, the CPP government realized that the functions of the Immigration under the then Colonial Police was to be expanded to meet the political and economic needs at that time. In May 1960, there was a Cabinet decision to transfer the Immigration Unit to the Ministry of the Interior as a department. Eventually, the function of Issuance of Ghanaian passports was ceded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the CPP Government. Three years later, the Aliens Act of 1963, (Act 160) was enacted to give legal backing to Immigration Operations. On 18th November 1969, the Busia Government announced and enforced the Aliens Compliance Order. The attainment of Ghana’s independence saw a rapid expansion of the economy, coupled with Ghana’s role as trailblazer in the African Liberation struggle leading to a significant influx of foreign businessmen, tourists and migrants from other African countries giving rise to the birth of a standard institution established to champion immigration related policies and issues. The Service as a paramilitary institution with the name GHANA IMMIGRATION SERVICE was established by the Immigration Service Act, 1989 (PNDCL 226) which has now been repealed by Immigration Service Act, 2016 (Act 908). The Immigration Act 2000 (Act 573) mandates GIS to regulate and monitor the residence and employment of foreign nationals and the entry and exit of all persons. The Ghana Immigration Service has been established as the Agency under the Ministry of the Interior to advise on and to ensure the effective implementation of all laws and regulations pertaining to immigration and related issues. Past Heads of the Service COP (Mr) Ernest Owusu Poku (Rtd) – 1990-1992, Mr. S. S. Omane IGP (Rtd) – 1992-1994, Mr W. K. Aboah COP (Rtd.) – 1994 to 2001 Mr NANA Owusu Nsiah COP (Rtd) – 2001 to 2002, H.E. Elizabeth Adjei (Rtd) – 2002 to 2011, DCOP (Dr) Peter A. Wiredu (Rtd) – 2011-2015 Mr Felix Yaw Sarpong (Rtd) – 2015 – 2016 – first to be appointed Comptroller- General of Immigration (CGI). |