Deputy Director of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Alexander Barimah Twum, has declared that Ghana will not allow its land and sea borders to be used as transit routes for illicit drugs destined for neighbouring countries.

According to a report by myjoyonline.com on July 27, 2026, Barimah Twum has addressed claims by suspected drug traffickers that narcotics intercepted in Ghana were merely passing through the country en route to destinations such as Niger and Burkina Faso.

He stressed that while Ghana's borders remain open for legitimate trade and economic activities, they will not be used to facilitate the movement of illegal drugs.

"Ghana’s land borders; sea borders are not the gateway for illicit drug transit. So, we won't, and we will never allow goods going to Niger to be illicit goods. The fact that they don't have sea borders and they are using our borders to transit their goods doesn't mean that it should be open to them to also transit illicit goods," he indicated.

Barimah Twum revealed that many individuals arrested for drug trafficking offenses often claim the narcotics were not intended for the Ghanaian market.

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"Interestingly, anytime we make such an arrest of drug sailors, all that you will hear is that it is going to Niger or it is going to Burkina Faso. Our borders are not the gateway for illicit drug transit," he stated.

To strengthen cross-border efforts against narcotics trafficking, he disclosed that Ghana and Burkina Faso recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at preventing the movement of illicit drugs between the two countries.

"Just about a month or two ago, we signed an MoU with the government of Burkina Faso. The MoU has it that we are supposed to prevent anything illicit, such as drug trafficking, across our borders. They are to ensure that nothing will enter from their end, and we are also to ensure that nothing will enter from our end into their place," he explained.

He further appealed to members of the public to support security agencies by volunteering credible information that could help identify and apprehend individuals involved in drug trafficking, saying public cooperation remains essential in tackling the growing menace.

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