The SBS Ghana project in collaboration with Alliance Francaise d ’Accra organised a two-week tailor made Functional French language course from November 29 – December 10 in Accra, for twelve (12) selected officers from the Ghana Immigration Service. The selected officers were from the International Relations desk at the GIS headquarters and from all the main border posts across Ghana.
Mr. Emmanuel Soubiran, Programme Officer at the European Union Delegation to Ghana in his remarks said, “It is importance for officers to be able to communicate in the French language since Ghana is surrounded by French speaking nations. He stressed on the importance of breaking the language barrier in order to facilitate the information sharing among all relevant stakeholders to enhance international border management and security within the sub region"This training has not only revived my ability to speak French, it has boosted my confidence and I am very confident that from today, I will be able to communicate better and confidently with all travellers at the Aflao border post" ASI Genevieve Orleans-Sam, Officer - Aflao Border.In a speech delivered by ACI Thomas Ewuntomah, Acting Head of the Policy, Planning and Monitoring and Evaluation Department of GIS on behalf of the Comptroller General of Immigration, he said, “This training comes at a very good time, right after the just ended Regional Conference on International Border Management and Security. It is even more important that the GIS as a Service places more importance on the need for officer to learn and speak the French language because all of Ghana's neighbours are French speaking countries.”
He applauded the effort of the European Union and the SBS Ghana project for their commitment and contribution towards fostering a closer collaboration between Ghana and her counterparts in neighbouring countries by seeking to build the capacities of GIS officers to use French as a working language. He stressed that "The ability of officers to communicate in the French language, will go a long way to help enhance the exchange of data and information between border control authorities, reduce irregular migration, smuggling of goods and other cross-border crimes within the framework of the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol."
The main objectives of the training was to equip the twelve (12) selected officers who to champion the speaking and writing of functional French within GIS by properly operationalizing and integrating the use of the French language in their daily work routine at the main border posts and at the headquarter level. The training also sought to further strengthen the capacity of these selected officers who are already at an intermediate or advanced levels of speaking and writing in French, to be able cascade the knowledge gained within their teams.