Ghana Immigration Service has sought to bully Junior Officers with the advantage of rank and seniority

Bullying, as defined by Wikipedia, is the use of force, coercion, or threat, to abuse, aggressively dominate or intimidate. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. One essential prerequisite is the perception (by the bully or by others) of an imbalance of physical or social power. It is at this juncture some Senior Officers of the Ghana Immigration Service has sought to bully Junior Officers with the advantage of rank and seniority.  A study of covert investigations has sought to identify treacherous acts by Superintendent David Asiedu-Addo, Officer-In-Charge (OIC) of Zebilla Ghana Immigration Command Post. Major offences and minor offences had been breached by the OIC. First is the Immigration Service Regulations L.I. 2245 Regulation 138, Sub-regulation 1(a) states it’s a major offence to commit any offences stipulated in the Criminal Offences Act, 1960(Act 29) which are section 179(C), section 239, section 240 and section 317 respectively. Also, L.I. 2245 Regulation 138, sub-regulation 1 clause(c) and clause (aa) are major offences breached by the OIC. Secondly, L.I. 2245 Regulation 139 (Minor Offences), Sub-regulation (r) mainly caused for open up confessions by victims of his tyrannical leadership. A case study is when officers are punished for extortion though some civilians might willingly offer gifts. There are instances when the OIC would threaten such vulnerable junior officers for benefitting willingly by cherished giving civilians. Meanwhile, the same officers are stipulated to deposit amounts of money which are extorted right at the Zebilla Immigration Inland Barrier to the OIC.  Another catastrophe caused by the OIC is the embezzlement of ‘Operation Conquest Fist’ funds, which are intended to create a secure, peaceful atmosphere at the northwestern, northern and northeastern borders of the country. Unfortunately,

 

rations allocated to supporting local officers of the ‘Operation Conquest Fist’ in Zebilla had been slashed from an amount of GH¢300 to GH¢100 a month when the OIC wishes to give. This in turn makes the OIC an obstruction to the aims and objectives of government’s intention towards an anti-crime boarder programed line-up since motivation had been sat on by one’s act of disloyalty to the State. Junior officers are asked to sign documents which amounts given them are later penned down by the OIC. It would surprise the Ghana Immigration Service of an instrumental participation of fuel smuggling through the Zebilla Barrier-Dastech FM Road into Burkina Faso by the OIC. Per intelligence gathered, the owner of one filling station, along that road, had numerous deals whereby trucks of fuel were smuggled to Burkina Faso through the boarder. Some officers attested to the fact that the OIC unlawfully ordered the movement of such illegal acts. Per contact tracing due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Zebilla Command received GH¢150 whiles other stations received GH¢1050. I believe the duties being performed by the command is equally as that of other units. Unless, there is a special activity the usual officer at post is not performing as that of those who received all monies allocated within the three week contact tracing period. Whistleblower Act, 2006 as my backbone authority is an act to provide for the manner in which individuals may in the public interest disclose information that relates to unlawful or other illegal conduct or corrupt practices of others; to provide for the protection against victimization of persons who make these disclosures; to provide for a Fund to reward individuals who make the disclosures and to provide for related matters. Per my declaration I strongly hope an action would be set off with as soon as possible since Act 730 Section 1; ‘Disclosure of impropriety’ had been appropriately met.  (1) A person may make a disclosure of information where that person has reasonable cause to believe that the information tends to show; (a) An economic crime has been committed, is about to be committed or is likely to be committed;  (b) Another person has not complied with a law or is in the process of breaking a law or is likely to break a law which imposes an obligation on that person;  (c) A miscarriage of justice has occurred, is occurring or is likely to occur;

 

(d) In a public institution there has been, there is or there is likely to be waste, misappropriation or mismanagement of public resources;  (e) The environment has been degraded, is being degraded or is likely to be degraded; or  (f) The health or safety of an individual or a community is endangered, has been endangered or is likely to be endangered.

 

It must be bore in mind that if such unlawful acts are practiced by Officers whom the usual tax payer’s money is being invested into, what good remains for the Ghana Immigration Service vision, ‘Delivering excellence in migration management for national development’

 

By JUNIOUR ANAS