The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has held its maiden orientation and brainstorming retreat for members of its newly constituted Governing Council.

The two-day retreat took place from Friday, 22nd to Saturday, 23rd August 2025, at the Coconut Grove Hotel in Accra.

In attendance were members of the Governing Council, the Directorate, and heads of units.

Appointment

In his opening remarks, the Deputy Minister of Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, congratulated the council members on their appointment and assured them of the Interior Ministry’s support in carrying out their mandate. He urged the council to develop innovative strategies to address the challenges confronting the service.

Overview

The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mr. Samuel Basintale Amadu, welcomed participants and presented an overview of the service’s current state and outlook. He highlighted the need for improved infrastructure and resources to match the rising intake of personnel. He also called for measures to enhance the welfare of officers to ensure effective service delivery.

Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Operations, Administration and Finance, and Legal Affairs also briefed the council on the mandate, structure, and operations of the service.

Presentation

The Chairman of the Governing Council, Rev. Stephen Wengam, delivered a presentation on the theme “Resetting Ghana Immigration Service: The Role of Integrity and Visionary Leadership.” He challenged personnel to embrace accountability, diligence, excellence, and integrity in order to build trust with stakeholders and attract the resources needed to strengthen the service.

Open forum

The retreat also featured an open forum where Governing Council members engaged with the Directorate, management, and unit heads to better understand their expectations and concerns.

In his closing remarks, Rev. Wengam announced that the Governing Council would convene a special retreat to further deliberate on issues raised.

The Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Interior, Mrs. Doreen Annan, commended the Governing Council on behalf of the Interior Minister, Mr Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, describing the retreat as “historic and necessary” for the growth and advancement of the Ghana Immigration Service.