Interior Ministry Warns ABV Retrofitting Firms Against Operating Without Approval

The Deputy Minister for the Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, has warned Armoured Bullion Vehicle (ABV) retrofitting companies against converting vehicles into armoured vehicles without the requisite permits and approvals from the Minister for the Interior.

He said companies that flouted the requirement would face the full extent of the law, including possible revocation of their operating licences.

Mr Terlabi stated this in Accra, when the Ministry of the Interior, in collaboration with the Bank of Ghana and the Ghana Police Service, organised a one-day sensitisation workshop for Private Security Organisations (PSOs), Cash-in-Transit (CIT) operators, ABV importers and retrofitting companies.

The workshop, held at the National Police Headquarters, aimed at promoting compliance with guidelines and standards governing the operation of ABVs in Ghana, while strengthening the safety of CIT operations and protecting lives and valuable assets.

Mr Terlabi stressed that strict adherence to the guidelines was essential to ensuring that every ABV operating in the country was safe, fit for purpose and capable of providing the required level of protection.

He said the guidelines, launched by the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, in December 2025, were introduced in response to a series of armed attacks on CIT operations between 2021 and 2023.

According to him, the attacks resulted in the loss of lives, including police officers, as well as the theft of cash, underscoring the need for stronger regulation and improved security measures within the CIT sector.

The Deputy Minister commended the Bank of Ghana for its continued support and collaboration with the Ministry in strengthening the regulation and security of Cash-in-Transit operations.

He urged all stakeholders in the ABV and CIT sector to take the guidelines seriously and ensure full compliance to safeguard personnel, customers and the wider public.

The Director-General of Private Security Organisations, COP Dr Daniel Afriyie, said the Ghana Police Service had established regional and district enforcement teams to monitor compliance with the ABV guidelines.

He said the Service had also intensified inspections and monitoring of ABV operations across the country and had removed soft-skinned CIT vehicles from operations nationwide.

COP Dr Afriyie further urged ABV importers and retrofitting companies to comply with the prescribed technical and safety requirements strictly.

He stressed that the quality and integrity of ABVs directly affect the safety of police officers, CIT crews, and members of the general public.

Judith Twumwaa, ISD