Sammy Gyamfi raises alarm over Ghana ports after drug bust, backs Mahama’s new measures

Sammy Gyamfi has raised concerns over Ghana’s port security following a recent drug bust in another jurisdiction that he says was traced to one of Ghana’s ports.

In a statement shared on social media, Gyamfi said the development should concern Ghanaians and argued that such incidents could point to weaknesses in the monitoring and inspection systems at the country’s ports.

According to him, the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) is the institution mandated to monitor, regulate and enforce measures against narcotics trafficking in Ghana.

He questioned the decision to remove NACOC from the list of Port Inspection Agencies in June 2018, arguing that the move weakened the Commission’s ability to inspect cargo and detect attempts to traffic drugs through Ghana’s ports.

Sammy Gyamfi welcomes NACOC’s return to port inspections

Gyamfi said it was therefore encouraging to learn that President John Dramani Mahama had directed the immediate restoration of NACOC to the list of Port Inspection Agencies.

He further stated that NACOC had been granted access to Ghana’s entry and exit points by air, land and sea, describing the development as an important step in strengthening the fight against narcotics trafficking.

Gyamfi also expressed confidence in the NACOC leadership under Major General Maxwell Obuba Manthey, saying that with the necessary support, the Commission could make progress in tackling the problem.

Port scanners and personnel to be changed

The former government official also claimed that President Mahama had directed that scanners and personnel at Ghana’s ports be changed with immediate effect.

According to Gyamfi, the measures, if effectively implemented, could strengthen checks and controls at the ports and help prevent similar incidents from occurring again.

His comments come amid heightened attention on Ghana’s port security and the measures being considered to prevent the country’s ports from being exploited as channels for the movement of illicit drugs.

Gyamfi maintained that stronger inspection, monitoring and enforcement mechanisms would be necessary to tighten Ghana’s borders and protect the country’s ports from narcotics trafficking.

He expressed hope that the renewed role of NACOC, together with the changes being proposed at the ports, would help strengthen Ghana’s response to the threat.