Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak has warned that allegations of security personnel aiding criminal networks could undermine Ghana’s access to vital intelligence from international partners.

The Minister said concerns over possible insider involvement in criminal activities were beginning to affect the confidence of foreign security agencies in sharing sensitive information with Ghana.

According to him, international partners could become reluctant to provide intelligence if they feared that information passed to Ghana might be compromised or misused by individuals within the security services.

“Our counterparts abroad are even beginning to doubt to give us some information because they trace it to an insider,” he said.

Speaking at a training programme for Regional Security Councils (REGSEC) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) on the Security and Intelligence Agencies, Muntaka said the situation was particularly worrying because security personnel entrusted with sensitive responsibilities are subjected to background checks and screening before being assigned to their positions.

He questioned why an officer who had been carefully vetted and entrusted with a position of responsibility would subsequently use that position to facilitate criminal activity.

“The very person that has been trained and trusted with that responsibility is now trading with it,” he said.

The Minister’s comments come amid concerns following the seizure by French customs of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine from a container of plastic waste that arrived at the port of Dunkirk from Ghana.

He said allegations of insider involvement could create uncertainty among Ghana’s international partners over whether intelligence shared with local security agencies would remain protected.

“They don't know whether the insider, the minister is also part of it or the politician is part of it,” Muntaka said.

He warned that such doubts could have wider consequences for Ghana’s efforts to combat organised crime, particularly at a time when international cooperation and intelligence sharing are increasingly important.

The Interior Minister also called for an end to the politicisation of security matters, saying political affiliations should not be used to interfere with investigations or protect individuals suspected of wrongdoing.

He said attempts to bring partisan politics into the work of security agencies could weaken public institutions and make it more difficult to hold offenders accountable.

Muntaka stressed the need for stronger coordination among Ghana’s security agencies and closer cooperation with international counterparts to tackle transnational crime.

He disclosed that he was scheduled to meet the French Ambassador as part of discussions following the cocaine seizure and broader security cooperation between Ghana and France.

The Minister said Ghana must address concerns surrounding alleged insider involvement in criminal activities to protect the credibility of its security institutions and maintain the confidence of international partners.