The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Ghana has made serious allegations against the government, claiming that international drug traffickers have established clandestine laboratories in the country. NPP National Organiser Henry Nana Boakye made these allegations at a press conference, stating that these laboratories are being used for the processing of illicit drugs and narcotics.
According to Boakye, the government has failed to prevent Ghana from being used as a transit point for narcotics. He alleged that the drug lords have established basic laboratories for processing illicit drugs under the watch of President Mahama, and that the President appears not to care. Boakye provided no evidence to substantiate these claims.
Boakye's comments come after a series of major drug trafficking cases linked to Ghana. Recently, French customs seized nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the port of Dunkirk on September 10 from a container carrying plastic waste that had arrived from Ghana. The shipment was valued at about €225 million ($261 million).
Four Ghanaians have been charged in connection with the shipment and remanded in custody, while a Dutch national, Jos Leijdekkers, also known as "Bolle Jos", has been named in the case and remains at large. The allegations against those charged have not been proved in court.
Boakye also referred to the 2014 arrest of Ghanaian Nayele Ametefe in Britain after she was found with cocaine, citing the case as evidence of a recurring pattern under administrations of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC). He claimed that Ghanaians have not forgotten the Naa Ayele Ametefe scandal under the first Mahama administration.
The NPP has identified at least four major drug interceptions involving Ghana, including cases inside the country and consignments intercepted abroad. Boakye stated that this is not an isolated embarrassment, but a pattern that demands accountability.
The Ghanaian authorities face increased scrutiny over how large quantities of narcotics have allegedly passed through the country's export and security systems. The government has said it is strengthening controls following the recent seizures, with Acting Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority Aaron Kanor stating that authorities are reviewing procedures and improving cooperation between agencies involved in narcotics detection and export controls.
Key points
- The NPP has called for officials within the security and drug-interdiction chain to be held accountable over the recent cases.
- The government has vowed to strengthen controls to prevent further narcotics seizures.
- The allegations have sparked scrutiny over Ghana's role in international drug trafficking.
