President John Dramani Mahama is set to meet heads of key security, port, aviation and other relevant institutions on Thursday, September 17, 2026, to discuss measures to strengthen Ghana’s border security and combat narcotics trafficking.
The high-level meeting, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at Jubilee House, Accra, will focus on vulnerabilities in the country’s border-control systems and measures to prevent the trafficking of narcotic drugs and other illicit substances.
An invitation issued by the Office of the President and signed by the Secretary to the President, Callistus Mahama, Ph.D., stated that the meeting would review existing vulnerabilities, intelligence-sharing arrangements, cargo and passenger-screening systems, inter-agency coordination and the deployment of technology to detect and disrupt narcotics trafficking.
“The meeting will review existing vulnerabilities, intelligence-sharing arrangements, cargo and passenger-screening systems, inter-agency coordination, and the deployment of technology to detect and disrupt narcotics trafficking,” the letter stated.
The meeting is expected to bring together representatives from institutions responsible for Ghana’s financial, maritime, aviation and land-border security.
The invitation, dated September 14, 2026, directed each participating institution to be represented by its head, accompanied by no more than one relevant technical officer.
“Each institution should be represented by its Head, accompanied by no more than one relevant technical officer,” it stated.
The institutions have also been tasked with preparing brief assessments of existing security gaps and proposing practical measures to improve intelligence sharing, surveillance, screening and joint enforcement operations.
“Participants should come prepared to provide a brief assessment of existing security gaps and propose practical measures to improve intelligence sharing, surveillance, screening, and joint enforcement operations,” the letter added.
The Secretary to the President further underscored the importance of the meeting, citing its national-security implications.
“Given the urgency and national-security implications, your personal attendance is required,” Callistus Mahama stated.
Institutions invited include the Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs; Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority; Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority; Ghana Shippers’ Authority; operators of terminal scanners; Ghana Link Network Services Ltd; Ghana Maritime Authority; Ghana Navy; Meridian Port Services Ltd; National Intelligence Bureau; Ghana Police Service’s Criminal Investigations Department and Interpol; Narcotics Control Commission; and Ghana Airports Company Limited.
The meeting comes amid growing concerns over Ghana’s border-security systems and the country’s vulnerability to international narcotics trafficking.
It also follows recent scrutiny of Ghana’s handling of major international cocaine seizures, with calls for stronger intelligence coordination, effective screening systems and improved collaboration among security and port-sector institutions.
The engagement is expected to provide an opportunity for the government and the invited institutions to assess existing vulnerabilities and agree on practical measures to strengthen Ghana’s border controls and combat the trafficking of narcotic drugs and other illicit substances.
