The Minister of the Interior, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, has disclosed that critical security infrastructure at the Kotoka International Airport and other key checkpoints have been out of service for months, posing a significant challenge to the fight against drug trafficking.

Speaking during a briefing to Parliament on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, the minister said that body and baggage scanners used by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) have been non-functional, severely hampering frontline narcotics detection efforts.

“Baggage scanners are vital tools in the frontline operations of the Narcotics Control Commission, particularly at the airport, where the concealment of narcotic substances has become increasingly sophisticated,” he said.

He warned that the broken-down scanners at critical points, especially at the airport and major cargo checkpoints, undermine both national and international security efforts.

According to him, several attempts to repair the scanners were unsuccessful due to severe technical faults and the unavailability of essential components.

A cost-benefit analysis, he noted, led the government to opt for procuring newer, more advanced scanners under the Security Sector Reform Programme.

The new scanners, once installed, are expected to boost the capacity of NACOC and allied agencies to effectively combat the trafficking of illicit substances across Ghana’s borders.

MRA/AE

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