Central Region Identified as Human Trafficking Transit Route – National Security Advisor
Dr Mohammed Bako, Technical Advisor to the National Security Coordinator, has identified the Central Region as a transit route for human trafficking, warning that the situation exposes some communities to heightened security vulnerabilities.
He made this known at a regional stakeholders’ engagement on the review of Ghana’s 2020 National Security Strategy.
Dr Bako explained that the region serves as a transit jurisdiction for the recruitment of minors from coastal communities, while the recruitment of young women and men through social media continues to increase.
He added that human trafficking for domestic servitude, both within Ghana and abroad, as well as migrant smuggling and narcotics trafficking, had also been identified as security concerns requiring urgent attention.
In an address delivered on behalf of the Central Regional Minister, Mr Andrew Kwesi Kumah, Deputy Director in charge of Administration at the Central Regional Coordinating Council, said the region’s extensive coastline, tourism assets, growing urban centres and strategic location along the coastal corridor presented both economic opportunities and security concerns that required attention in the national strategy.
Mr Kumah also cited statistics from the Cyber Security Authority indicating that approximately 4,604 confirmed cyber incidents were recorded in Ghana in 2025, including 1,799 cases of online fraud.
He said these developments reinforced the need for stronger institutional coordination, increased public awareness, resilient communities and timely intelligence sharing to address emerging security threats.
