President John Mahama has directed Ghana’s security agencies to strengthen coordination and make the country’s ports “ironclad” against drug trafficking.
Government spokesperson and Abura Asebu-Kwamankese Member of Parliament, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, said the directive followed concerns over drug consignments that allegedly leave Ghana and are subsequently intercepted in other countries.
According to him, President Mahama convened an urgent meeting with the relevant security agencies about two weeks ago to address weaknesses in the management and security of the country’s ports.
“It is an expression of the President’s concern that he convened that urgent meeting two weeks ago, involving various security agencies that are supposed to work together to make our ports safe or our ports so ironclad that this sort of activity does not take place,” Mr Ofosu said on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday.
The government’s position comes amid a Minority motion seeking to recall Parliament to address concerns that Ghana could be emerging as a drug transit hub. The Minority has cited a series of drug seizures and trafficking cases in calling for Parliament to examine the issue.
Mr Ofosu, however, rejected descriptions of Ghana as a “cocaine coast” or a drug transit hub.
He argued that arrests and seizures by the Ghana Police Service and the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that Ghana is becoming a trafficking hub.
“So, if there are 12 cases, and two of them involve transhipment, or if you like exports of drugs outside of Ghana, you don’t put everything together and say Ghana is a volcano,” he said.
He maintained that drug-related arrests by security agencies demonstrate that institutions mandated to combat trafficking are carrying out their responsibilities.
“What does NACOC exist to do? To apprehend and prevent drug trafficking, not so, or drug use, illegal drug use, for that matter,” he said.
Mr Ofosu, however, acknowledged that consignments that evade security checks in Ghana and are intercepted abroad remain a serious concern.
“Therefore, those that escaped the scrutiny of law enforcement in Ghana and find their way abroad are those that are worrying,” he said.
He said President Mahama had consequently directed the agencies to improve coordination and information-sharing at the ports.
Agency Rivalry Identified as Key Challenge
Mr Ofosu said rivalry among the various agencies operating at the ports was identified as one of the key concerns during the meeting.
“I sat in the meeting, and it was clear from what transpired that there is some, if you like, tough battle between or among the various agencies. Each of them is trying to assert their supremacy over the ports, and so sometimes they don’t share information,” he said.
According to him, President Mahama has instructed the agencies to end the rivalry and work collaboratively.
“So the President says, ‘Okay, I want an end to this turf battle. You must share information. You must collaborate. Bring me a road map that shows you are doing these, among other things necessary to ensure this will happen,’” he said.
Mr Ofosu added that the President had made it clear that Ghana must not become a transit route for drug trafficking.
“Indeed, the President was clear that he will not tolerate Ghana’s borders becoming a transit point for drug trafficking,” he said.
He said the deadline given to the security agencies to submit their roadmap was expected to expire within days.
