CHAIRMAN AND HON. MINISTER FOR INFORMATION
HON. DEPUTY MINISTERS
CHIEF DIRECTORS
SERVICE COMMANDERS AND HEADS OF AGENCIES
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA
DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

INTRODUCTION

It is my pleasure to be here this morning to take my turn in the “Meet-the-Press” series, a programme which is designed to bring Government to the door steps of the governed.

The mandate of the Sector is implemented through its departments and agencies, namely, the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Ghana Immigration Service [GIS], National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Narcotics Control Board [NACOB], Gaming Commission, Ghana National Commission on Small Arms, Ghana Refugee Board, National Peace Council, and Migration Unit. These institutions ensure the achievement of their mandate of providing a safe, secure socio-economic and political environment for the development of our country. It is also hoped that Ghanaians will come to terms with the challenges and lessons that the Ministry and its Agencies have to grapple with and the strategies that we have developed to ensure the delivery of targets set in the Government’s “Better Ghana Agenda” within the 4-year mandate, with particular reference to the maintenance of internal security.

ACHIEVEMENTS
MINISTRY OF INTERIOR [HEADQUARTERS]
•    There was successful maintenance of peace and stability in all parts of the country;
•    The Migration Unit was successfully inaugurated in March 2010;
•    The Ministry facilitated the ratification of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons in March 2010 and the UN Convention on Cluster Munitions in August 2010
•    Submission of the National Peace Council Bill to Parliament after facilitating its approval by Cabinet.
•    Preparation of the Sector Medium Term Development Plan
•    Facilitated the approval by Parliament of two (2) loan facilities for the purchase of fire engines for the Ghana National Fire Service
•    Successfully coordinated the activities of all Agencies and Services in the Sector for the achievements of their mandates stated herein.

GHANA POLICE SERVICE
Ghana Police Service has chalked many successes in combating crime and providing security in the country. This cuts across a wide spectrum of crime and security indices ranging from robbery, murder, riot control, election monitoring, traffic management to domestic violence issues. The Police Service has embarked on massive public education to sensitize the public and solicit their support towards combating crime.
The following are just a few of the achievements the service has made over the period under review:-

FIVE [5]-YEAR STRATEGIC NATIONAL POLICING PLAN

The Police Administration developed a five-year Strategic National Policing Plan, which seeks to set targets and goals for the service and prescribe the conduct of personnel for the next five years aimed at:-
•    Developing a professionally competent Police Service through systematic recruitment of qualified staff, and regular training and development of all staff to establish a high delivery capability, functional discipline, integrity and fairness in dealing with the public;
•    Maintaining a high degree of economy and accountability in the use of scarce resources;
•    Maintaining a comprehensive and reliable database, equipping and strengthening the investigative and prosecutorial functions of the Police Service;
•    Equipping the entire service with adequate infrastructure, accommodation, logistics and funds to enhance operations.
•    Ensuring proper maintenance of plant and equipment and judicious use of scarce resources;

MARINE POLICE UNIT AND SECURITY PLAN FOR OIL AND GAS

The Police Administration in furtherance of its commitment to providing security for the oil and gas exploration has put in place a Security Plan to deal with issues that may arise. It is further establishing a Marine Police Unit and extending Police structures and facilities in remote areas within the oil and gas zone in the Western Region to cater for any associated security issues.

ACHIEVING PROFESSIONALISM, POLICE RULES AND REGULATIONS

The Police Administration in its efforts to ensure discipline within the Service has come out with the Police Handbook and Code of Ethics to equip personnel with the requisite knowledge and skill to perform their duties as a way of enhancing professionalism. The Administration also revised all the various Police Regulations and codified them into a single document, for the attention of Government.

IMAGE CLEANSING CAMPAIGN

The Police Administration has launched an ‘Image Cleansing’ campaign with robust strategies to purge the service of all misfits and miscreants. This is aimed at eliciting the confidence of the public for effective crime combat and maintenance of law and order in general.

COMMUNITY POLICING CONCEPT

Community Policing concept is being given a deeper consideration and implementation.  In this direction, preparations are underway to launch a massive educational campaign to explain the concept to the public, and to solicit their support in the exercise. This is in recognition of the role the public play in contemporary policing and fighting crime.

TENT CITY

Another innovation introduced by the Police Administration is the Tent City concept. The Police are now identifying vulnerable communities, which do not have Police Stations, and putting up tents and posting personnel there to provide security for those communities. Already the concept has received popular support, and is making a positive impact.

PUBLIC INFORMATION AND INTERACTION

The Police Administration in its efforts to improve its relations with the public has restructured the Public Affairs Directorate, which serves as the pivot on which Police-Public information and interaction revolve.

CID INVESTIGATIONS

The Criminal Investigation Department [CID] also benefited from some positive changes such as :-
•    Creation of an Intelligence Unit at the CID Headquarters to improve information gathering for effective policing;
•    Automation of the Finger-print bureau at CID Headquarters;
•    Modernization of the Crime Laboratory to enhance investigations;
•    Opening of offices of the newly created Anti-Human Trafficking Unit in all but three regions in the country.

CRIME TREND

Statistics on the major crimes showed decreases in rates of commission between January and October, 2010 as compared to January to October, 2009. Cases of narcotics and rape recorded decreases of 43.9% and 18% respectively, while robbery incidents went down by 1.8%. Robbery statistics showed significant decreases in most regions including Accra, Tema and Eastern Regions. However, Ashanti, Northern and Upper West Regions recorded increases in the menace. As regards the type of robbery committed, street, residential and workplace robbery decreased by 12.5%, 15.1% and 19.4% respectively. Nevertheless, car hijacking and highway robberies increased by 31.3% and 9.3% respectively.

GHANA PRISONS SERVICE

Procurement of Industrial Machines

The Government, in collaboration with some NGOs and other stakeholders procured Industrial Sewing Machines and Vulcanizing Machines among others to help in training inmates towards achieving the objective of reformation to enhance their smooth reintegration into society.

Decongestion of Prisons

The Government having taken cognisance of the overcrowding in our prisons, has in collaboration with the Judiciary, Attorney General’s Department, UNDP and other relevant stakeholders, taken steps through the ‘Justice for All’ programme to ensure  the trial of Remand Prisoners who have been detained for a period of four years and above without attending court. In 2010, 178 cases were handled with 137 remand prisoners being discharged, 27 granted bail, and 17 sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.

It is also worth mentioning that an ultra- modern Maximum Security Prison with a capacity of housing 2,000 inmates is under construction at Ankaful in the Central Region. The project is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2010 and will accommodate high profile prisoners serving long sentences and ensure proper classification of prisoners in the prisons throughout the country.

PRISONER REFORM PROGRAMMES

Prisoner Reform Programmes are very crucial to the operations of correctional institutions including the Ghana Prisons Service. The Service performs its reformation programmes through:-

Prison Industries

Prison Industry (PI) is fashioned into the operations of the Prison Service with the prime objective of imparting skills to convicted prisoners. Through Prison Industry, inmates have been equipped with vocational and technical skills that have afforded them the opportunity of making a living for themselves upon their release.

Trade training workshops have been set up in all central prisons and some of the local prisons where the inmates learn various trades

Agriculture

Agriculture is one of the major activities of the Ghana Prison Service. Over the years agricultural activities have been stepped up in an effort to reduce Government spending on the feeding of inmates. In engaging in these activities, the Service makes use of prison labour and in the process instructs the inmates on modern practices in crop, poultry and animal farming. The agricultural drive is supported by twenty one [21] prison stations manned by dedicated officers.

Education

Prison Service has drafted a comprehensive proposal to run formal, non-formal and vocational education for inmates to enhance their opportunities of securing jobs after release from lawful custody. It provides libraries and training facilities for prisoners. In this vein, libraries have been established in some prisons where the inmates have the opportunity to refresh their minds during their stay in the prison. Currently, PSI-Distance Learning Open Schooling Study Centres have been inaugurated in Kumasi, Tamale, Wa and Ankaful prisons respectively.  The Senior Correctional Centre has started the non - formal educational programme to give literacy and numeracy skills to illiterate inmates.

ICT Centres

The UNDP, in collaboration with religious partners like the Prisons Ministry of Ghana and local agencies like the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC), are establishing ICT centres in some selected prison establishments in the country to improve on data collection, management and information distribution within the Service. They will also help to bring ICT to the doorsteps of inmates and officers by training them to acquire the necessary skills. A number of laptop and desktop computers have been supplied to the centres which are in operation at Nsawam Medium Security Prison and the Prison Officers Training School (POTS).

Counselling services

The Prisons Service engaged a number of professional Counsellors who counsel inmates to help them reshape their conscience towards reformation. In order to achieve this objective, the Counsellors engage prisoners in individual as well as group counselling alongside what is delivered by the Chaplaincy Unit.    

REHABILITATION

Ghana Prisons Service is moving away from the traditional notion of the prison as a place where deviants are warehoused. In furtherance of that it has engaged Psychologists, Counsellors and Chaplains who provide counselling and therapeutic services for the inmates. Some of the areas covered include Sexual Offences, Anger Management and Coping Skills. The over-riding aim here is that the offender departs completely from further criminality; get him to acquire skills and prepare him while in prison for proper social integration and working life so as to eventually ensure his independence and reintegration into society.

GHANA NATIONAL FIRE SERVICE [GNFS]

Operation Soul-saving (Rescue Operations)

The year 2010 has witnessed phenomenal attention to saving lives through Road Traffic Collision (Accident) Rescue Operations.  The Ghana National Fire Service dedicated two (2) Rapid Intervention Vehicles positioned along the Accra-Tema Motorway, for rescuing and saving lives of entrapped victims in accidents. The Ghana National Fire Service, from 12th June, 2010 to 29th September, 2010, attended to 47 accident cases along the Accra-Tema Motorway corridor.  The number of casualties rescued was 46, with 4 fatalities,

International Assessment in Road Traffic Collision Extrication [RTCE]

Throughout Africa, in terms of Road Traffic Collision Extrication (Road Traffic Accident Rescue Operations), South Africa and Ghana are the only two African countries that have measured up to international assessment and therefore represent Africa in the World Extrication Challenge organized by the World Rescue Organization, U.K. Ghana has, for instance, participated in two World competitions in World Road Traffic Collision Rescue Operations in South Wales, U.K in 2008 and Frankfurt, Germany in 2009.

Intensification of Public Fire Safety Education in Markets/ Lorry Parks

The Ghana National Fire Service made coverage of over 25 Markets and Lorry Parks, within four months in Accra, in terms of public fire safety education and Fire safety audits.

Fire Safety Audits in Public Buildings

As a result of the recent spate of fires in public buildings, the Ghana National Fire Service has intensified its Fire Risk assessment conducted in public buildings. The Service has within a period of two (2) months, visited and conducted Fire Safety Audits in over thirty [30] public premises, including many Ministries.

Mass Media Public Education

Mass media public education has been more than doubled compared to that of 2009. Approximately there has been about 136% increase in Mass media public education.

Dedicated Vehicles for Fire Hydrant Monitoring/ Public Education

The Service since 2010 has started devoting some Pick-up Vehicles for the purposes of Fire Hydrant Inspection and Public Fire Safety Education.

Fire Safety/ Clubs in Schools

St. Augustine and Ghana National Senior High School in Cape Coast and Akosombo International School in Akosombo as well as Crown Prince Academy in Kwashieman, Accra benefited from Ghana National Fire Service Cadet formation in schools in 2010, as well as on-going fire safety education.  Efforts are ongoing to revive and sustain Fire Safety Clubs in schools.

Investing in Human Resource

In line with Government policy, the Ghana National Fire Service has been able to intensify its efforts, by training two batches of Officer Cadets in 2010. The course content was enriched with GIMPA’s Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration. Additionally, Training Officers from the U.K came to Ghana to handle a training programme for some selected officers in September, 2010.

Fire Outbreak Attendance

Notwithstanding the challenges facing the Ghana National Fire Service, it has been commended by some corporate bodies for having arrived on time at fire grounds and for having discharged its duties professionally, thereby saving commercial investments and property. Letters of commendation were received from Latex Foam Company, Zenith University College, Ghana Lotteries, NCCE/Electoral Commission, Government Secretarial School, and Koala Super Market, to mention but a few.

Statistics on fire incidents

Statistically, in 2009, the Fire Service responded to a total of 2,708 fire outbreaks, and attended to 409 Rescue Operations in Road Traffic Accidents.  Statistics for January to May 2010 indicates that the Ghana National Fire Service has attended to a total of 1,359     fire outbreaks, with cost of damage estimated at GH¢7,912,402.00.  The number of Road Traffic Accident Cases attended to stood at 170, with 506 people injured and 57 fatalities.  
 
GHANA IMMIGRATION SERVICE [GIS]
STRATEGIC PLAN

GIS has developed a strategic plan for the next four years with the support of the British High Commission and PA Consulting Services Ltd. The plan is almost completed and is expected to be launched by the end of 2010.

COLLECTION OF INTERNALLY-GENERATED FUNDS [IGF]

It is important to also note that apart from its security role, the GIS collects revenue on behalf of Government. As at August 2010 it had collected GHC8,584,413.00 thereby exceeding its projected 2010 annual target of GHC8,528,951.00 by GHC55.462.00. It is clear that by the end of 2010 it will exceed its target significantly.

DOCUMENT FRAUD EXPERTISE CENTRE

A Document Fraud Expertise Centre was established with the support of three EU Missions in Ghana; The British High Commission, the Royal Netherlands Embassy, and the Spanish Embassy under the Aeneas programme of Countering Document Fraud in Ghana. The project provides funds and technical support towards the eradication of document and identity fraud, and illegal migration in Ghana.   

The Programme’s implementation was led by the Ghana Immigration Service in collaboration with the Criminal Investigation Department [CID] of Ghana Police, the Passport Office, the Births and Deaths Registry, and the Marriages Registry of the Registrar Generals Department.
The centre has the most modern and state-of-the art equipment in examining all manner of documents. It is the first of its kind to be set up in Africa and among 13 in the world.
 
AUTOMATION OF ENTRY VISA

GIS has introduced an Entry Visa Automated System (EV Manager) directed at enhancing the operational efficiency of issuing emergency entry visa/visa on arrival and mitigating the difficulties of the old manual system. This system has reduced the workload and processing time drastically. It is also able to capture detailed information on applicants as well as quick detection of fraud.

PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

In view of the emerging demands on and responsibilities of GIS as well as the lack of space in the old Office structure, the need to put up a new Headquarters building has become imperative. A Consultant has been engaged to work on the design for the proposed new ultra modern 6- storey office complex. Construction will begin as soon as this phase is completed.

Work on the Office accommodation at Namoo, Zebilla and Sogakope have been completed while construction works on six (6) 2-bedroom flats at Menuso is 60% complete and that of Gonokrom is 55% completed. Renovation works are on-going on a 16 block facility at Wonjuga, six (6) Chamber and Hall facility at Half Assini, and two (2) bedroom residential accommodation at Kotoka International Airport Barracks.

The Service has also acquired five (5) 3-bedroom flats at Ayigya in Kumasi and a 2-bedroom low cost housing unit at Ashanti-Mampong. Moreover, ten (10) plots of land have been acquired at Obuasi.

HUMAN RESOURCES/CAPACITY BUILDING

The Ghana Immigration Service has this year increased its staff strength by one hundred (100) junior officers and forty (40) senior officers.  
 Additionally, the Service has entered into a tripartite agreement with  the Liberia Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN), and the Immigration and Naturalization Department (IND) of the Netherlands to train Liberian Immigration officers. The project is aimed at overhauling and revitalizing the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN) in Liberia to make it professionally efficient and responsive to contemporary immigration trends.

Under the project arrangement, the Ghana Immigration Service will focus on training and capacity building for Liberia Immigration personnel at the Ghana Immigration Service Academy and Training School (GISATS). Two batches of 50 Liberian Immigration Officers have already been trained.

NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION [NADMO]

NADMO chalked some achievements in the spheres of training, human resource development, awareness creation in various types of hazards; social mobilization, capacity building, strengthening of international cooperation, launch and inauguration of the National and Regional Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, emergency response, relief operations, and refugee/returnee administration.

Establishment of Sub-Regional International Centre for Emergency Technologies (ICET)

NADMO hosted a one-day workshop on Emergency Preparedness for senior personnel of Agencies and services responsible for Disaster Management towards the establishment of a Sub-Regional International Centre for Emergency Technologies (ICET) or the Pre-Hospital Phase for West Africa in Ghana. The project has been supported by the Dutch Government.

Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation.

In line with the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015, which seeks to advocate for Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters, NADMO launched and inaugurated a National Platform and seven (7) Regional Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation.  These regions are the Northern, Upper East,  Upper West, Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, Western and the Central Regions. Platform members worked hand in hand with the Technical Advisory Committees.  They provide relevant technical advice and programme implementation support to NADMO.

PRE - FLOOD ACTIVITIES

The National hydro-meteorological Technical Committee and the National Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation undertook assessment of all flood-prone areas countrywide, and identified the causes of flooding.  The identified causes were: defective engineering works; building on waterways; changes in land use due to urbanization; poor land administration and planning, poor sanitation and lack of drain maintenance; obstructive activities by utility agencies; tidal influence of the sea; and inadequate funding for flood mitigation measures.

Further studies were also made of all major rivers countrywide and their tributaries to identify communities likely to be flooded, and to plan for timely and effective search and rescue, evacuation, and relief operation during flood emergencies.  The studies showed that 774,766 persons were likely to be affected and 468,370 displaced in 1,191 communities countrywide.  Over 320,000 persons were assisted to move to higher grounds. Also over 50,000 persons along the banks of the Rivers Oti, Ankobrah, Pra and Tano and the White, Red and Black Volta were evacuated. These measures helped to reduce the number of flood casualties in 2010.

NATIONAL CLEAN-UP CAMPAIGN

A national clean-up campaign was launched by NADMO, under the auspices of the Office of the President on 8th May 2010.  The campaign was also launched simultaneously in all the regions to clean our environment and desilt choked drains and culverts to ensure free flow of rain water to prevent and mitigate the effects of flooding. The exercise helped to prevent flooding in some popular flood-prone areas in Accra such as Mataheko, Asylum Down, Alajo, Gbawe, Sakaman, Kaneshie Firstlight etc.

RELIEF ADMINISTRATION / SEARCH, RESCUE AND EVACUATION

Assorted food and non-food relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction items worth Twenty Million, Eight Hundred and ninety-six thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢20,896,000.00) were stock-piled for timely and effective response to disasters.  Some of these items were distributed to the regions and districts as part of their strategic stock.

NADMO co-ordinated the emergency response / search and rescue and evacuation of flood disasters in the Greater Accra, Central, Western and Volta Regions on 20th June, 2010. The emergency response was led by the 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Army.  A total of 25,877 people who were affected received relief assistance. Fifty seven (57) people made up of 33 children, 13 women and 11 men died in the flood disasters.

Following the spillage of the Bagre and Kupienga dams in Burkina Faso on 20th August 2010, coupled with torrential rainfall, a twenty one (21) - member team made up of nine (9) personnel from the 48 Engineers’ Regiment, and twelve (12) personnel from the Rapid Response team of NADMO were dispatched to the three northern regions for operational duties for three weeks.
 
PUBLIC SENSITIZATION

NADMO, with the support of its collaborating agencies and the Technical Advisory Committees, undertook nation-wide public education and created awareness through radio and television discussions, community outreaches, and conferences on the Pandemic Influenza, H1N1, bush

and domestic fires, floods, earthquakes, Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM), Algal Bloom, Army-worm invasion, Anthrax outbreak, Rabies, Variegated Grasshopper invasion and Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation.

CAPACITY BUILDING

NADMO trained three hundred and eighty-eight (388) of its own personnel in disaster management and related subjects.  NADMO, with the support of UNDP organized seminars for identifiable women groups in Gender Responsiveness in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in all ten (10) regions.  Between April and June, 2010, orientation courses in disaster management and general administration were organized for one hundred and fifty (150) District Coordinators, senior staff from NADMO National Headquarters as well as the Regional Coordinators and their operation officers, with both technical and financial support by the UNDP, UNFPA and OCHA.

REFUGEE/RETURNEE ADMINISTRATION

NADMO continued to monitor the situation at the Budumburam and the Krisan/Sanzule Refugee Camps.  Assessment visits were made to both refugee camps to learn at first hand the present situation and also to encourage the refugees to return to their home countries.  In the case of returnees, one hundred and sixty (160) Ghanaians deported from Libya during the second quarter of the year, were received and dispatched to their homes.
 
NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD

Illicit Drug Trafficking Situation
Introduction

Drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking is a major threat to the socio- political and economic development of any country. Ghana was certainly one of the most active cocaine and heroin trans-shipment points in West Africa. This posed a real threat to the stability and security of the state.
Bulk seizure and arrest of drug mules in recent  past on flights originating from Ghana and the involvement of foreign nationals in trafficking illicit drugs through Ghana were strong indications that the drug trade had taken root in Ghana and the country was rapidly gaining notoriety as a transit point for drug trafficking.

Drug abuse had ceased to be an urbanization issue but was a nation-wide canker eating deeper and deeper into the fabric of our society. Drug consumption had become so rampant even in a lot of rural communities, and in almost all educational institutions in Ghana, from tertiary to Junior High Schools.  This trend always impacted dramatically and negatively on the nation by increases in crimes, including highway robbery, fatal accidents, erosion of values and degradation of the entire society.

SEIZURES AND ARRESTS

Within the past one year seizures and arrests of drug traffickers entering Ghana and those going outside from Ghana have gone down substantially. This can be attributed to the fact that counter narcotic activities have been intensified at most entry and exist points at the Airport and other borders of the country. NACOB duty points at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) have been restructured to ensure effective and efficient operations. Drug trafficking is efficiently and effectively being controlled and this underscores the Government’s commitment to fight illicit drug trafficking in Ghana.
Cannabis seizures

Cannabis which is locally produced in almost every region of the country is the most trafficked and most abused illicit drug in Ghana because of its availability and comparatively low cost. Recent seizures indicated that the dry leaves are normally compressed into brick size slabs, sealed in polythene for export.  Others are also concealed in artifacts, foodstuffs and woodcarvings. UK and Holland have continually been identified as the export destinations for cannabis exported from Ghana.

Cocaine seisures

A number of South American countries are identified source countries of cocaine that pass through Ghana in transit.  In most of the arrests made, cocaine exported from Ghana is concealed internally i.e. by swallowing and in some case concealed in foodstuffs as indicated here-under:-

•    On 15th May, 2009, MV Mearsk NOLANVILLE docked at Tema Port.  One container among the others contained 1,880 cartons of chewing gum.  This container was tagged by the personnel of the Joint Port Control Unit (JPCU), subsequently scanned and found with two (2) carrier bags containing sixty-one (61) slabs of cocaine were found on the cargo of which one Augustina ABU, a Ghanaian was the consignee.  Six (6) people including the importer Augustina ABU were arraigned before Court but were acquitted and discharged.  On 7th December, 2009, the sixty-one (61) slabs of cocaine, which were exhibits in the case, were destroyed by burning on the orders of the Court after they had been tendered in evidence.  

•    On 1st September, 2009 a vessel MV St. Efrem berthed at Tema Port with 14,000 metric tonnes of sugar from Brazil.  Upon intelligence report the vessel was rummaged by a joint security forces led by the Narcotics Control Board. Five (5) boxes of cocaine weighing 150,029.4g were recovered together with the mortal remains of a 59 year old Philipino crew member, Jose Saavedra who committed suicide before the vessel berthed.  

•    On 8th September, 2009, Ibrahim Sima, the Chief Executive of Exopa Modeling Company, holding   Ghanaian, German and Togolese passports was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport with four (4) tubers of fresh yam.  The four tubers of the yams were stuffed with total of 4,943.6g of cocaine with which he was to travel to Germany on board Lufthansa.  

Heroin seizures

Iran and Afghanistan have been identified as the source country of heroin that passes through Ghana in transit. Modes of concealment identified are metal blocks (engine cylinder/gear box) and threads (tissues) as indicated here-under:-

•    On 4th March 2010, Narcotic Control Officers at the Aviance Cargo Section of the Kotoka International Airport tagged a cargo of eight (8) boxes of lathe motor like metal blocks imported from Tehran under the guise of Hyundai gear boxes.

•    On 5th March 2010, a twenty-eight (28) year old Nigerian national, Mmerika ENOCK residing in Ghana was arrested when she identified and attempted to clear the goods at the Aviance Cargo village. She claimed they were spare parts. One of the metals was cut open in her presence and found to contain quantity of substance suspected to be narcotic drug. All the eight metals were found to contain 10 kg each of heroin.  Investigations revealed that between December 2008 and March 2010 suspect had imported sixty-nine (69) of such metals, each containing ten (10) kilograms of heroin thus totaling 690kg. This case is still pending at the courts.

Seizure of Precursor Chemicals

The influx of psychotropic substances is another area of great concern. Some of these precursor chemicals like ephedrine are genuinely imported for pharmaceutical purposes.  However, there is always the tendency of diverting these chemicals into the production of illicit drugs. This can spring up clandestine laboratories if these precursor chemicals are not controlled. In April 2010 the UN Secretary General issued a Note Verbal to   the Narcotics Control Board of Ghana authorizing the Board to  control and monitor the importation and re-exportation of Precursor chemicals and Psychotropic Substances imported into Ghana in order to minimize, if not prevent, the diversion of these chemicals into production of illicit drugs

COUNTER-NARCOTICS ACTIVITIES
Enforcement and Control Measures
 

The Narcotics Control Board has intensified its operations at the country’s entry points. In January 2010, the American Government donated a body scanner to the Government of Ghana through the Narcotics Control Board. This has enhanced the operations of the Narcotics Control Board at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.
The Board has also introduced sniffer dogs in its operations at the Airport and soon the use of sniffer dogs will be extended to the country’s borders.


Joint Port Control Unit (JPCU)

The Joint Port Control Unit (commonly referred to as container Project) is a response by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to the threat posed by the use of containerized cargo shipment.  This initiative is to assist the developing countries to improve upon their law enforcement capacities and container control at the harbour.

The Container Project is a Joint Port Control Unit comprising officers from the Narcotics Control Board, Ghana Police Service, Customs, Exercise and Preventive Service, Bureau of National Investigations and the Port Authorities.  

Alternative Development Programmes (ADP):

As a way of minimizing the availability of cannabis, the Narcotics Control Board introduced the Alternative Development Programme (ADP) to persuade cannabis growers to go into the cultivation of food crops or undertake other economic ventures.  Over one hundred and ninety (190) farmers were persuaded. Subsequent to that the Board has decided to make ADP a priority in its National Operational Strategic Plan.

Public Sensitization and Education Programmes

In its efforts to reduce the demand of illicit drugs, the Board has intensified public sensitization throughout the country on radio and television stations. The Education Department of the Narcotics Control Board is embarking on preventive drug education and sensitization programmes focusing mostly on first and second cycle schools who are more vulnerable, Faith-based Organizations, Labour Organizations and other Commercial and Industrial organizations.


Treatment, Rehabilitation and Social Re-integration measures

This is aimed at counseling and encouraging addicts and their families to seek treatment at appropriate centers, where after overcoming the addiction such addicts would go through a process for rehabilitation and re-integration into the society.

MIGRATION UNIT

In February, 2006, Cabinet  gave the approval for the establishment of the Migration Unit  under the Ministry of the Interior to coordinate the activities of all governmental institutions whose activities affect or are affected by migration and to better integrate migration into the national developmental framework.
     

ACHIEVEMENTS

•    The Migration Unit was inaugurated successfully on 30th March, 2010

•    A Sub-committee on Migration Policy was inaugurated to work in close collaboration with a consultant to draft a Migration Policy for Ghana

•    The Migration Unit has participated and is a regular participant of the Global Forum on Migration and Development.

•    The Unit has initiated the process of mainstreaming migration into the developmental framework of Ghana after initial consultations with the NDPC.

•    A data-base system on migrants in the country and Ghanaians in the diaspora has been drafted.
GHANA NATIONAL COMMISSION ON SMALL ARMS [GNACSA]

The devastating impact of the proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons on peace and security is globally acknowledged and cannot be over-emphasized. The last two decades have seen a number of conflicts on the African continent, where the common tool used has been small arms and light weapons. These armed conflicts left devastating effects and horrifying experiences in their wake on the West African sub-region. Despite our relative peace, we experienced and continue to experience armed tribal and communal conflicts in some parts of our country. This is a disturbing phenomenon that needs to be addressed.

ACHIEVEMENTS:
AWARENESS RAISING AND PUBLIC SENSITISATION

GNACSA organized a Weapons Destruction Programme on 30th September and 1st October,2010 to educate Ghanaians on firearms issues and sensitize them on the dangers involved in the illegal acquisition and possession of illicit small arms in the country. Illicit guns destroyed as part of the programme in Kumasi were 1,538, bringing the total number of illicit confiscated firearms destroyed since 2001 to date to 4,925.

REVIEW OF DRAFT NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION ON SMALL ARMS

GNACSA developed a 4-year National Action Plan that seeks to address the SALW issues and challenges along five thematic areas namely [i] Harmonization of our laws (Legal Review); [ii] Public Education and Awareness raising; [iii] Border Control and Management; [iv] Stockpile Management; and [v] Alternative Livelihood for Local Manufacturers.

This was reviewed, together with all stakeholders from 21st to 24th January, 2010 in view of Ghana’s oil find, as a proactive measure to design strategies to address future possible armed conflicts occurring in the oil rich enclave.

GHANA’S COMMITMENT TO REGIONAL PROGRAMMES AND INITIATIVES ON SMALL ARMS CONTROL:

GNACSA participated in National, Regional and Global initiatives in capacity building, information sharing and exchange, regional planning and review meetings on small arms control.

Fighting small arms proliferation is a transnational issue. It is based on this recognition that Government ratified the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons and the UN Convention on Cluster Munitions in March and August, 2010 respectively.

NATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL

The National Peace Council (NPC) was set up administratively in August 2006 as part of the Government of Ghana’s national infrastructure for peace-building, known as the “National Architecture for Peace”. The national architecture provides for conflict management and capacity building to be infused into national development strategies in a pre-emptive manner in order to develop the optimum environment for non-violent resolution of conflicts, collaborative problem-solving and tolerance building. The National Peace Council Bill has been gazetted to be laid before Parliament for deliberation and passage into law.    

The NPC members were appointed by Government and are drawn from varied institutions such as Academia, Religious/Faith groups, Business Community and Traditional Rulers. They are renowned and respected Ghanaians of distinction who are independent, non-partisan and impartial in the discharge of their duties. There are presently eleven members on the Council with Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson as the Chairman.

MANDATE

The mission statement of the Council is to foster national cohesion through peace-building and to provide mechanisms through which Ghanaians can seek peaceful, non-violent resolution of conflicts in the country

ACHIEVEMENTS

The achievements of National Peace Council included the following:-

i    PEACE EDUCATION for about 100 youth from all the regions in the country to become Peace Advocates within their communities.

ii    CAPACITY BUILDING programmes for the three major Political Parties namely National Democratic Congress [NDC], New Patriotic Party [NPP] and the Convention People’s Party [CPP]. The objective of the programme, inter alia, was to strengthen the capacities of political parties to manage diversity and conflicting interests with the view to promoting their growth and development to enable them contribute effectively to our democratic polity.
    
iii    ADVOCACY & THIRD PARTY INTEVENTION. Council has mediated between Students in the Tertiary Institutions and Police. This has opened a space for the two parties to engage in constructive discussions on matters relating to students’ demonstrations that sometimes have resulted in violent confrontations between both parties.

GAMING COMMISSION

The Gaming Commission of Ghana is established by the Gaming Act 2006 (Act 721) to regulate, control, monitor and supervise the operation of games of chance in the Country.
Achievements.

The Gaming Commission has been able to educate the public to an extent that almost every company which is involved in any promotion that has an element of game of chance know that they have to come to the commission for a permit before they can engage in their promotion. The doubt surrounding prizes won in promotions with elements of Game of Chance by the public is also fading away gradually.

The revenue the Commission generates from its duties as a regulator increases every year. For instance in 2008, the revenue generated was GH¢ 277,000.50 and in 2009, it generated GH¢ 565,560.00. This is about 104% growth over the 2008 figure.  As at August 2010, the revenue generated is GH¢ 538,290.18. This is about 88.5 percent of the revenue target for 2010 and is deemed a remarkable achievement.

GHANA REFUGEE BOARD

The duties of Ghana Refugee Board include the following:-
•    Receive and consider applications for refugee status and keep a register of refugees;
•    Seek co-operation with non-governmental organizations on matters relating to refugees;
•    Assist in ensuring the general well being of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the country.

ACHIEVEMENTS

•    Asylum seekers were registered and Legal Protection was provided for them;
•    Maintenance of law and order at the Refugee camps;
•    Profiling and verification exercise were conducted at Buduburam Refugee settlement.

CHALLENGES CONFRONTING THE SECTOR
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR [HEADQUARTERS]

•    Inadequate and late release of funds
•    Inadequate staff (skills and numbers)
•    Inadequate office space

GHANA POLICE SERVICE

•    Inadequate operational vehicles, protective armour, communication and office equipment
•    Inadequate service personnel
•    Limited residential and office accommodation

GHANA PRISONS SERVICE

•    Inadequate funding for the general upkeep of inmates;
•    Lack of properly equipped workshops for inmates’ educational programmes.
•    Lack of after-care services for discharged Prison inmates;
•    Large population of Remand prisoners and general overcrowding in the prisons which militate against proper classification and treatment of inmates
•    Challenge for the Prison Officers during transfer of inmates on referral from Prison to and from the hospital.

GHANA NATIONAL FIRE SERVICE

•    Inadequate Fire Stations
•    Inadequate Fire Tenders and equipment
•    Limited Office and Residential Accommodation
•    Lack of effective Communication Equipment
•    Inadequate logistics generally

NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION [NADMO]

•    Inadequate budgetary allocation;
•    Inadequate strategic stocks for emergency response / relief administration;
•    Lack of haulage trucks to cart bulk relief items to areas affected by disasters / emergencies;
•    Lack of communication between headquarters and the Regional and District secretariats.

MIGRATION UNIT

•    Inadequate vehicles for Migration Unit
•    Lack of capacity of staff to deal with migration issues
•    Lack of funds: inspite of the support from the government and development partners especially the IOM, more funds are needed for the execution of the Unit’s agenda

NACOB

The major problem now is the spate of consumption or abuse of drugs, especially among the youth and students filtering down from tertiary to first cycle institutions in the country.

NATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL

•    Lack of permanent office accommodation. The Council is currently ‘squatting’ in an apartment belonging to Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC). The Council was served with a notice to vacate the building by 31st December 2008 (which has long expired).

•    Inadequate Staff;

•     Lack of adequate funding

GAMING COMMISSION

•    Financial constraints, lack of material and logistical support, lack of office accommodation for the Commission, inadequate training of staff of the commission in the area of gaming;
•    Absence of formal training in the area of regulating the Gaming Industry, especially the Casinos.  

GHANA REFUGEE BOARD

•    Lack of permanent office accommodation;
•    Lack of permanent staff;
•    Inadequate funding and logistical support in terms of vehicles, computers etc.

WAY FORWARD FOR THE SECTOR
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR [HEADQUARTERS]

•    Regularize the activities of Private Security Organizations through having a good database on them and better monitoring;
•    Finalize policy on Early Warning System;
•    Continue with the Inter-Ministerial Committee work on draft policy on migration as well as mainstream migration into national, sector, regional and district development plans
•    Advocate and ensure the provision of adequate funding and logistics for the Security Agencies;

GHANA POLICE SERVICE
Protection of life and Property
The main sub-projects are:

•    To further reduce crime levels in the area of  domestic burglaries, violent crimes through development and rigorous implementation of effective Patrol strategies;
•    Reducing the number killed in motor accidents, by at least 15% through effective implementation of road safety enforcement and management strategies and consequently the casualty rate
•    Increase percentage of Police officer’s time spent on front line duties by 10%
•    Increase Police Accessibility in vulnerable communities across the country
•    Awareness-raising on Community Policing concept through effective outreach programme.

Apprehension of Offenders

The main sub-programmes are:
•    Increase number of offenders apprehended and brought to justice and resulting in conviction, caution or remand through the courts
•    Improvement of cell facilities and construction of centralized detection centers
Detection of Crime
The main sub-projects are:
•    Building and equipping Police Detective Training Schools
•    Better collaboration with other Security and Intelligence agencies
•    Improving the Automated fingerprint and imaging system
•    Improving the Criminal identification and imaging profiling system.
Prosecution of offenders / Improvement in Public Relations
The main sub-projects are:
•    Improving the existing exhibit stores and construction of new ones;
•    Enhancing the capacity of Public Affairs Directorate;
•    Cultivating effective partnership with the media

Human Resource Capacity Building
The main sub-projects are:
•    Developing and standardizing training syllabi and manuals
•    Recruitment of  additional 3,200 personnel to augment the strength of the Service
•    Developing a pool of ICT resource persons and integrating ICT related training in all police training programmes;
•    Enhancing the capacity of the human resources through training and retraining;
•    Significantly improving and expanding training infrastructure, facilities and logistics.
 
Increasing and Enhancing the Capacity of DOVVSU
The main sub-projects are:
•    Completion of the office complex of DOVVSU National Secretariat and provision of office accommodation and logistics for DOVVSU Regional Secretariats
•    Increase the human resource requirement of DOVVSU
•    Intensification of Public education and sensitization on domestic violence
Petroleum and Maritime Police Unit
•    Discussion is on- going for the establishment of Marine Police Training School to train personnel for the Unit

•    Construction of swimming pool for training personnel

•    Acquisition of four boats for marine patrol and as well as few canoes  for marine community policing in the Western Region
Attacks on Police
•    Efforts are on-going to identify sources of weapons production in the country and have those illegal sources brought before justice;
•    Liaise with arms and ammunition unit of the CID to maintain a data base on all magazines in the country.
•    State to supply adequate and standardized equipment such as head-gears, bullet proof vests and side arms for the service.
•    Efforts are on- going to adequately resource the Police Service through the provision of   light armoured and riot control vehicles.
•    Beef up intelligence network, to get the identity and motivation of those who are involved in these attacks and other violent crimes.
High rate of High-way Robbery
•    Robust patrols across the country;
•    Intensified intelligence gathering on criminal activities;
•    Sustaining reward system for credible informants;
•    Rezoning of major towns and cities;
•    Replication of tent city projects in other parts of Accra and some metropolis;
•    Improving Police -population ratio through recruitment.
Welfare / Motivation
•    Enhancement of salary and other conditions of service for personnel;
•    STX Housing project to provide accommodation for personnel who have not been accommodated;

GHANA PRISONS SERVICE
Establishment of Diagnostic Centres in all Prisons in Ghana
The British High Commission is supporting the Ghana Prisons Service in the establishment of Diagnostic Centres in all prison establishments in the country to furnish the prisons with complete information concerning offenders committed to prison by the courts.
This will help in the proper classification and treatment of the individual inmates while in custody. It will also provide screening for drugs and alcohol abuse, provide detoxification for alcoholics and drug addicts, provide counselling services to long sentence and traumatized prisoners, and help in the proper placement of inmates in treatment programmes to ensure that they are provided with the requisite handling and training.  This will enhance their smooth resettlement back into society on their discharge.     

GHANA NATIONAL FIRE SERVICE [GNFS]

Two loan facilities have successfully been sourced from the Exim Bank of India and Exim Bank
 of America to procure fire-fighting equipment for the Service. The Indian Exim Bank facility will
support the Service with 75 water tenders and 5 foam tenders. The US Exim Bank facility will
help procure over 100 fire tenders and appliances including hydraulic platforms and recovery
trucks, Breathing Apparatus (BA) sets and personal protective equipment (PPE). Many personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service will also be trained both within and outside the country as part of the package provided in the two facilities.
Additionally, Parliament has ratified a Government of the Kingdom of Belgium mixed credit facility of €9,474,271.00 for the supply of 30 additional Fire / Water tenders, aerial rescue and fire fighting platforms, water tankers and other related firefighting equipment for the Ghana
National Fire Service.
New fire stations will also be opened at strategic areas across the country to bring fire services closer to the citizens.
Petrol & Gas Industry – Fire Service personnel are involved in activities relating to the emerging oil and gas industry in the country to ensure that incidence of oil  and gas fires are prevented and well managed.

GHANA IMMIGRATION SERVICE [GIS]

The GIS in the near future intends to implement its strategic objectives as spelt out in its four year strategic plan.
As part of its plan to meet the increasing challenges that come with migration and change, the service will establish a Policy Planning Monitoring and Evaluation [PPME] unit as well as an International Desk at the Headquarters of GIS. These Units would assist the service deal and interact with its international partners in a manner that is mutually understandable and acceptable.

The Service will also open more district offices for the purposes of enforcement and passport processing. Currently the Takoradi office has been elevated to the status of a major command in view of its strategic location.

Furthermore, the GIS is to benefit from a $3.5million Government agreement to implement the e-immigration programme under the e-Ghana project. It is expected that GIS operations would be fully automated when the programme is completed.
Moreover, it is the expectation of the service that the Border Patrol Unit will be armed to perform its role much more effectively.
Similarly, the service intends to position itself to deal with the challenges which are likely to confront it as a result of Ghana becoming an attractive destination for business and tourism

NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION [NADMO]

•    Employment of Disaster Risk Reduction activities such as improving NADMO mode of preparedness, through the use of Early Warning Systems;
•    Increase Awareness creation on the various hazard types as well as climate change adaptation, to increase resilience and reduce vulnerability;
•    Engage in participatory Urban Development Planning process to protect critical infrastructure by ensuring the use of improved technology for building;
•    Will advocate for the construction of smaller dams, dykes and other water-shed management facilities as well as trapping water for agricultural production and domestic use.

NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD

•    Construction of Rehabilitation Centres
The Narcotics Control Board has proposed the construction of rehabilitation centres for treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration of drug addicts into the society
•    Establishment of SEACOP Unit
The European Union has proposed the establishment of a SEACOP Unit at Takoradi, the Western regional capital.  The Unit will patrol the Takoradi Harbour as the shores of Atlantic Coast are witnessing increased settlements with the expected upsurge in crime.

MIGRATION UNIT

•    Developing a Migration policy to effectively manage migration in Ghana
•    Mainstreaming migration into the developmental framework of the country including the district plans, sector plans and a ten-year national plan is in the offing.
•    Developing a comprehensive migration data base system by collaborating with key stakeholders in collecting, recording, analyzing, interpreting, communicating and storage of information on migrants in Ghana and Ghanaians in the diaspora.

NATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL

The Council will continue to pursue the following five critical strategies to achieve its objectives:-

•    Peace Education for individuals and groups to become Peace Advocates within their communities.
•    Capacity Building for stakeholders to build appropriate capacity to deal with alternative forms of peaceful dispute resolution.

•    Advocacy and Third Party Intervention.
•    Research and Analysis on issues relating to peace, security, development and conflict resolution at both the governmental and civil society levels.
•    Sensitization of the general public on the need for peaceful co-existence using the media (both print and electronic)

GAMING COMMISSION
•    Review of the Gaming Act, Act 721
•    Allocation of permanent office accommodation;   
•    Foreign training programmes in Gaming regulation and policy formulation.

GHANA REFUGEE BOARD
•    Ensure legal protection of Refugees and Asylum seekers;
•    Identify new sites for Refugee camp;
•    Sensitize the public  and the refugees on their rights and obligations

GENERAL CONCLUSION

Let me urge all Ghanaians, especially the media, to collaborate effectively with the Security Agencies and the Ghana National Commission on Small Arms [GNACSA] in controlling the small arms situation in the country. This is to ensure that the socio-economic development of the country is not disrupted by armed conflicts, robberies and other armed -related crimes.

It is understandable that most people who feel unsafe would want to resort to the illegal possession of guns today for self protection, but I wish to call on all of us to have confidence in our state security agencies. If we all desire to possess guns illegally to protect ourselves, we shall only end up endangering our lives and our communities as these same illegal guns may end up being used for inter-communal conflicts, homicides, revenge killings among others.  

Peace, safety, security and stability are prerequisites for the development of the other sectors of the nation and for accelerated socio-economic development of the country. It is important that collectively and individually we all contribute our quota in assisting the Security Agencies for Ghana to maintain and sustain the peace, security and stability for development to thrive. The media, in particular, has a crucial role to play in this direction and we trust that we can continue to count on their assistance, support and collaboration.   We also look forward to the cooperation and support of the general public to enable the Security Agencies to make this country a safer place for all of us.

Thank you for your attention.

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