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The Ghana-Togo joint border post at Noepe will become operational in August this year. The project, situated at the Togolese side of the border, is currently 90 per cent complete and is expected to be manned by security personnel from both countries when completed. The outgoing Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhaji Amin Amidu Sulemani, stated this at a sensitisation workshop for some border officials in Sogakope over the weekend. The NJBP Construction of the Noepe Joint Border Post (NJBP) began in 2008 and it is expected to facilitate easy crossing of West African citizens from Ghana into Togo and vice versa, thereby boosting socio-economic collaboration. It is being established by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and funded by the European Union (EU). Joint border posts are being introduced in many parts of Africa to address one of the main factors responsible for delays on major transport corridors. Border posts are complex entities that often involve five to 10 different agencies, each performing specific controls related to movement of persons, vehicles and cargo from one country to another. Combining two border posts into one and consolidating functions into a single public hall for exiting one country and entering another reduces time for passenger and freight vehicles. The workshop It is believed that successful implementation of the project will depend on the security personnel stationed at the borders, hence the workshop. Emphasis was placed on the operational and legal issues and infrastructure requirements necessary for the successful implementation of the project. Operational issues relate to the simplification of procedures, sequencing of controls and the standard operating procedures for joint processes and coordination amongst the various border issues. Alhaji Sulemani Alhaji Sulemani said the joint border post concept envisaged required additional legal authority beyond that which was provided by current legislation for two essential reasons. Firstly, it will entail the performance of border controls by various officers of one state in terms of its national laws extra territorially in another state. Secondly, a legal mandate is required for hosting arrangements of that state�s border control officers who will operate in terms of their own national laws within the territory of another state. �Rearrangements of the traditional border infrastructure will also be necessary as the establishment of a joint border post implies having to place certain offices and structures in proximity to each other to allow for sharing and joint controls,� he added. Alhaji Sulemani urged border officials to continue to be vigilant when the project takes off. He acknowledged the fact that the implementation of the project was likely to present some initial challenges �but let us be mindful that most of the challenges, whatever they are, can be outweighed through a creation of deeper awareness and appreciation of trade, mobility, security and economic benefits between the two governments.� Helen Ntoso The Volta Regional Minister, Ms Helen Adwoa Ntoso, reminded the border officials that they had the responsibility to implement the programme effectively. �For instance, issues such as the use of a single immigration form by a traveller must become a reality, and this immigration form ought to be able to be reviewed by officers of both countries to determine if an individual is wanted for a crime or has been denied entrance in the country before,� she said. Border agencies, according to her, could further cooperate more closely in identifying risks in cargo or persons and allowing the rest to pass the border more easily. In furtherance to the project, Ms Ntoso added that agricultural inspection using international standards could also be done only once and jointly by the agriculture officers of both countries. She expressed the hope that officials of each state agency would clearly know their areas of operation so that there would not be unnecessary clashes in the conduct of duties at the joint border post.