Fuel smuggling along Ghana’s northern border town of Paga is on the rise, raising serious national and regional security concerns. According to a recent documentary by the BBC World Service aired on Sunday, illicit fuel trade across the Ghana-Burkina Faso border is not only thriving but is reportedly aiding the operations of jihadist groups in the Sahel.
The report highlights how fuel, a critical resource for mobility and logistics, is being smuggled in large quantities from Ghana into Burkina Faso, where extremist factions have established strongholds. The porous nature of the border, coupled with weak surveillance infrastructure, has allowed criminal networks to operate with relative ease.
Despite the presence of a few roadside checks, there appears to be no coordinated or consistent border control strategy. Smugglers exploit this gap, transporting jerrycans and tankers of subsidized fuel across unapproved routes. The documentary also reveals how this illicit trade is becoming increasingly sophisticated, with some smugglers allegedly collaborating with corrupt officials.
Security analysts warn that this growing trade could further destabilize the already fragile Sahel region, where jihadist violence has displaced millions. Ghana, once seen as a stable buffer state in West Africa, is now being drawn into the ripple effects of extremism due to its vulnerable northern borders.
Residents of Paga and surrounding areas have called on the Ghanaian government to take urgent steps to tighten border surveillance and deploy specialized units to disrupt smuggling operations. Experts also advocate for enhanced cooperation between Ghanaian and Burkinabé authorities to curb the flow of fuel that potentially empowers insurgents.
With national security at stake, stakeholders are urging swift action to protect the integrity of Ghana’s borders and to prevent the spread of extremism into the country’s heartland.
