The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in the Upper West Region is advocating for harsher penalties for those involved in the illicit sale and abuse of Tramadol and other unregistered medications. FDA Regional Director, Sankpal Dafaari Kelvin, expressed frustration with current sentences, describing them as “too lenient and ineffective” in deterring offenders.
Speaking at a drug abuse sensitization program, Kelvin shared a recent experience where his team raided a shop in Nabulo, a community in the Sissala East Municipality, and seized unregistered drugs, including Tramadol 500mg, a variant considered illegal and dangerous in Ghana.
“The judgment isn’t fair. If I decide not to fight Tramadol again, am I wrong?” Kelvin questioned, referring to a court sentence of 160 penalty units (GHC 1,920) for an offender, despite the law allowing for up to 15 years in prison or 1,500 penalty units.
Kelvin emphasized the need for custodial sentences to reflect the seriousness of the offense and serve as a deterrent. “I wanted someone to go to prison to serve as an example,” he said.
He cited another case in 2023 where an offender was initially fined GHC 2,000, later increased to GHC 4,000 after Kelvin’s protest. The suspect even offered GHC 30,000 to settle the matter informally, but Kelvin refused.
“I spent GHC 6,950 on fuel, accommodation, and logistics for that single operation. Is this judgment fair?” Kelvin asked, highlighting the waste of public resources due to light penalties.
Kelvin’s call for tougher sentences aims to strengthen the fight against Tramadol abuse and illicit drug trade in the region.
