The Tema Port remains a critical frontline in Ghana’s efforts to prevent the smuggling of illicit small arms into the country and the wider West African sub-region, Isaac Kofi Adu, Deputy Port Security Manager, Port of Tema, has said. 

 Mr Adu, speaking at a media forum powered by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), noted that over 90 per cent of global trade passed through seaports, making them attractive targets for organised arms traffickers. 

“Unlike airports and land borders, ports allow the movement of large volumes of cargo, which can be exploited if security systems are weak,” he said. 

He explained that the Tema Port had intensified security through joint operations involving the Customs, the Navy, the Marine Police, the Immigration Service, and other agencies. 

These measures include quarterly joint security meetings, patrols at anchorage, joint cargo inspections, random checks on vessels and personnel, and the deployment of sniffer dogs trained to detect weapons and humans. 

He said GPHA was upgrading port infrastructure, including introducing biometric gate systems to better control entry and exit points. 

“We are especially alert to vessels that dock without cargo, as such movements can be used for illegal exchanges,” Mr Adu said. 

 Mr Adu stressed that while Customs leads cargo scanning and inspections, port security personnel play a crucial role in detecting suspicious concealments and alerting preventive units. 

He called for sustained investment in scanning technology and intelligence-sharing to close security gaps and protect Ghana’s ports from being exploited by arms trafficking networks.