Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak says the government has deployed armoured buses disguised as commercial transport vehicles to track and arrest highway robbers on major roads across the country.

Speaking at the “Resetting Ghana” town hall meeting in Damongo on May 23, 2026, he said the buses are regularly rebranded as vehicles such as STC, VIP, and OA to avoid detection and help security agencies arrest suspects. He added that the operation has already led to several arrests.

Roads and Highways Minister Kwame Governs Agbodza linked poor road conditions to highway robbery, saying criminals take advantage of deteriorating roads.

He also criticised delays on some projects under the government’s Big Push programme, especially on the Wa-Wiawso corridor, and urged contractors to return to abandoned sites.

The Savannah Regional House of Chiefs, on behalf of the Yagbonwura, Bii Kunuto Jewu Soale I, raised concerns about water shortages in Damongo, poor roads, delays in the regional hospital project, and the need for more districts, a university, and Gonja language teachers.

President John Dramani Mahama said the Damongo water project had entered the procurement stage after preparatory work was completed.

The project will draw water from Yapei to supply Busunya, Damongo, Larabanga, and nearby communities.

He also announced plans for a science and technology university in the Savannah Region, supported by a US$30 million grant from China and an additional US$100 million funding request to the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa.

On healthcare, the President said the region would receive a 300-bed regional referral hospital with MRI, CT scan, and X-ray facilities.