Ghana Immigration Service to enforce Aliens’ Registration Law
The Executives of Ghana Tourists’ Authority, Ghana Hoteliers’ Association and Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) are deliberating on how to find a convenient way to implement the Aliens’ Registration Regulation, 1974 (LI. 856).
The law provided that hotels are to submit returns on all foreigners who lodge in their facilities to the GIS every Friday.
It further authorized the GIS to enter and inspect premises and records on foreigners periodically.
Mr Francis Palmdeti, Head of Public Affairs, GIS who disclosed this at a press conference in Accra on Friday, said the Service intended to strictly enforce the provisions, especially in view of emerging regional and national security threats.
He noted that officials of the Service have tried enforcing the law but they were always met with uncooperative reception from hoteliers because the hoteliers were ignorant of the law.
He said following the attacks in Ouagadougou and Mali it has become necessary to reactivate the hotel inspections to enforce the Aliens’ Registration Regulation, 1974, L.I. 856, to ensure that “we step up security in those areas.”
“We are aware that those attacks in recent times were linked to terrorist element on the sub-region. We are also mindful that attackers on Ouagadougou lodged in hotels and we need to step up our security by reactivating hotels’ inspection,” he added.
Mr Palmdeti said before they start enforcing the law, the Service will sensitize the public including hoteliers through awareness creation on the need for everybody to be security conscious.
He said keeping records on foreigners in hotels are not peculiar to only Ghana as it is being done all over the world. “When you are a foreigner in a country before you book for a hotel, they will demand information on your nationality”.
He said the inspection is in the interest of both the managers of hotels and the public, that “we know visitors that are with us to step up security”, and appealed for cooperation from all and sundry to make the implementation a success.
He said the burden to comply with the law is directed towards the hoteliers and failure to obey or comply with the regulation would attract a penalty or a term of imprisonment.
Mr Palmdeti said at the time law was made, it did not take into consideration electronic means of gathering information that is why we need to come out with a convenient way to ensure compliance of the provisions in the law.
Source: GNA