The Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, has made a claim that there were no drug busts at Ghana's ports under the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led administration since 2018. He attributed this to the removal of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) from routine port inspection duties in 2018. Baidoo made these comments on TV3's Key Points programme on September 26, 2026. His statement has sparked controversy and debate about the effectiveness of port security measures.
Baidoo's comments were made in response to a discussion on the growing concern of drug trafficking. He stated that not a single drug bust occurred at the Tema port during the NPP government's term. However, this claim has been disputed by evidence from various news reports. In September 2020, NACOC, in collaboration with the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the National Security Council Secretariat, intercepted 152 kilogrammes of cocaine at the Tema port. The drugs were concealed in a shipment of sugar from Brazil.
The interception of the cocaine shipment in September 2020 directly contradicts Baidoo's claim of no drug busts occurring at the port since 2018. According to NACOC's statement, the physical search of the suspected containers and bags of sugar began on September 10, 2020, and the narcotics substances were found on September 12, 2020. The seized consignment was later destroyed by officials at the Bundase Military Training Camp, outside Accra, in November 2020.
The street value of the confiscated substance was estimated to be around $3 million. This significant seizure highlights the ongoing issue of drug trafficking through Ghana's ports. Despite Baidoo's claims, the evidence suggests that port authorities have indeed recorded drug-related busts since 2018. The MP's assertion that the removal of NACOC from routine port inspections led to a lack of seizures appears to be unfounded.
The issue of drug trafficking has gained renewed attention following a recent seizure by French customs on September 10, 2026, of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine that departed Ghana, bound for Antwerp in Belgium. Public officials and government communicators have pointed to the 2018 decision to remove NACOC from routine port inspections as a reason for the previous lack of detections. However, this does not support Baidoo's claim of no busts occurring under the NPP government.
GhanaFact, the organization that researched Baidoo's claim, reached out to the MP with their findings but did not receive a response. The verdict on Baidoo's claim is that it is false. This conclusion is based on verifiable evidence from news reports and official statements. The MP's comments have been widely interacted with on social media, highlighting the public's interest in the issue.
The controversy surrounding Baidoo's claim underscores the need for accurate information and transparency in public discourse. As the issue of drug trafficking continues to affect Ghana and other countries, it is essential to rely on verifiable evidence and facts to inform discussions and policy decisions. The evidence clearly shows that Baidoo's claim is unfounded, and it is crucial for public officials to provide accurate information to the public.
Key points
- The Akwatia MP's claim that no drug busts occurred at Ghana's ports since 2018 is false.
- Evidence shows that 152 kilogrammes of cocaine were seized at the Tema port in September 2020.
- The issue of drug trafficking through Ghana's ports remains a significant concern, with recent seizures highlighting the ongoing problem.
