Security agencies asked to collaborate to mobilize more revenue for national development
Alhaji Issahaque Salia, the Upper West Regional Minister, has appealed to security agencies operating along the country’s borders to collaborate to mobilize more revenue for national development.
He said it was through cooperation that those strategies could be adopted to close up leakages in revenue mobilization.
Alhaji Salia was addressing security agencies at Hamile as part of a working visit to the border post to acquaint himself with the security situation there and also to have firsthand information of challenges facing the personnel.
He said the government expected the security agencies to double their efforts at revenue mobilization for development goals to be achieved.
Alhaji Salia said the government appreciated their contributions towards national development and would do all it takes to provide them with more logistics and equipment as well as improve on their working conditions.
He appealed to district assemblies to help improve the skills and knowledge of security personnel and also provide them with some of their needs such as office and residential accommodation and logistics.
Some of the security members complained about the porous nature of the border post and called for more patrol vehicles, motorbikes and communication equipment to enable them to effectively manage the border.
The personnel also said the location of the border post at Hamile made it for people to invade their offices whenever there was as misunderstanding, thus putting their lives at risk misunderstanding.
At Tumu Border Post, Alhaji Salia called on the personnel to work hard to reduce smuggling of fuel and fertilizers as well as illegal crossing to ensure the integrity of the border.
The personnel complained about the location of the border post in Tumu and appealed to the government to relocate the post to Leo to facilitate the work of the personnel.
They said Tumu was about 18 kilometres away from Leo and that some of the communities were beyond Tumu, thereby making it difficult for security personnel to manage smuggling and criminal activities in the area.
They appealed to the government to consider arming the Ghana Immigration Service to enable the personnel to effectively operate.
“We risk our lives in our efforts to arrest smugglers,” the personnel said.
They appealed to the government to provide all security agencies, especially those at the borders, with patrol vehicles, motorbikes and communication equipment as well as office and residential accommodation.
Some members of the Regional Security Council who accompanied Alhaji Salia advised the personnel to work closely with chiefs, opinion leaders and assembly members in the communities to help build trust among them to reduce smuggling and criminal activities.
Source: GNA