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The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has stepped up its hotel inspections during the Easter festivities as a measure to help crack down on undocumented non-Ghanaians.
Therefore, the GIS has reminded all hotels, landlords and homeowners that it will intensify its inspections and enforcement operations during the Easter holidays.
“They are reminded of the requirement of Section 52 (1) (b) of Immigration Law 573 that obliges them to ensure that all tenants within their premises are documented non-Ghanaians,” a press release dated April 1 2021, signed and issued by the GIS Chief of Public Affairs, said Superintendent Michael Amoako-Atta.
Section 52 (1) (b) establishes that, a person who knowingly harbors any person who he knows is going to be deported or has reasonable grounds to believe that he has acted in violation of this law commits a crime and is punishable by a fine not more than one thousand Ghana Cedis or imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or both.
Owners and owners
The statement said the GIS “wishes to notify all property owners and owners that they will be conducting rigorous checks on their facilities and therefore are asked to cooperate fully with GIS officials.”
He explained that the intensified operation was in line with several strategies aligned by the SIG to guarantee that the Easter holiday is free of criminal activities that could damage the peace and security of the citizenry.
The Service wishes to reiterate its earlier call for landlords to require proof of legal residence or stay and immigration registration from non-Ghanaian tenants before entering into any lease agreements with them, he added.
“Landlords and property owners are further cautioned that the obstruction or prevention of a SIG officer from fulfilling his legal duty is a crime under Immigration Law.
“Therefore, they must cooperate fully with Service officials when visiting their facilities.
Hoteliers
The GIS wishes to advise hoteliers and residential apartment owners to maintain adequate data on all guests within their premises and to make it available to Service officials who will visit their premises.
Failure to provide such information constitutes a violation of immigration laws and, upon conviction, two years in prison may be imposed.
Transportation of illegal immigrants
The statement added that in line with this, carriers across the country, especially those within border communities, are being warned to desist from transporting irregular migrants entering the country via unapproved routes to various locations within the country.
It is a crime under the country’s immigration laws and the Service will not forgive any carrier caught in the act. Bus terminals and public transport stations will be closely monitored during this period.
The Service would like to ask the general public to cooperate with the Ghana Immigration Service Officers by providing timely information on all suspicious movements of persons within their communities who are not known residents of the community to the Immigration Office or the station of nearest police.
In accordance with its vision of providing excellence in security and migration management for national development, the Service will not waver in its mandate to ensure that the territorial integrity of the country is protected and will also support the guarantee of internal security conducive to the people of Ghana.
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