Volta Region alone has 102 unapproved border routes – Interior Minister

The Minister for the Interior, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, has revealed that the government has identified 102 unapproved border routes in the Volta Region alone, raising concerns over the country's porous frontiers and their potential use by criminal networks, including drug traffickers.

Addressing Parliament’s Assurances Committee on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, Mr Muntaka said the discovery underscores the significant security challenges confronting the country in its efforts to protect its borders.

According to the Minister, Ghana has 48 officially designated border crossing points, but the existence of numerous unauthorised routes presents a serious threat to national security.

“We have 48 legitimate crossing points into our country,” he said. “But regarding the illegitimate ones, we were shocked to discover during my recent visit to the Volta Region alone that we had identified 102 unapproved routes.”

Mr Muntaka noted that the problem is not confined to the Volta Region, explaining that several other border regions also have numerous illegal entry points that require enhanced surveillance.

He identified the Upper East, Upper West, Bono and Western regions as areas facing similar challenges because of their shared borders with neighbouring countries.

The Interior Minister cautioned that unless decisive measures are taken to secure these unofficial routes, Ghana risks becoming a transit corridor for transnational organised crime.

“If we do not focus on securing these unapproved routes, what will simply happen is that criminals will use Ghana as a transit point,” he warned.

He explained that criminal groups could easily avoid official border posts by exploiting these illegal crossings to transport illicit goods and engage in other unlawful activities.

To address the situation, Mr Muntaka said security agencies have established strategic inland checkpoints to complement border surveillance and strengthen intelligence gathering.

He acknowledged public concerns over the number of checkpoints across the country but maintained that they remain an important component of Ghana’s national security architecture.

“As we speak, we have about 63 inland checkpoints,” he disclosed.

The Minister, however, urged security personnel to conduct checkpoint operations professionally and minimise inconvenience to motorists while placing greater emphasis on intelligence-led policing.

He also appealed to the public to support efforts to secure the country's borders by volunteering credible information to the security agencies to help combat cross-border crime and other security threats.