The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) of Ghana has announced that it has secured a dedicated High Court to handle cases prosecuted by the Commission. This move is part of efforts to strengthen the fight against narcotics offences in the country. According to Deputy Director-General in charge of Enforcement, Control & Elimination at NACOC, Alexander Twum-Barimah, the dedicated court forms part of measures to address longstanding challenges that had affected the effective prosecution of narcotics cases.
Previously, narcotics cases were heard at different courts, including Adenta Court 5 and Accra High Court 2. This scattered approach, according to Twum-Barimah, hindered the effective prosecution of narcotics cases. To address this issue, the Commission engaged the Chief Justice to make a case for a dedicated court. The Commission, through the Interior Minister and the Director-General, met with the Chief Justice and other Supreme Court judges to explain the need for a dedicated court.
The Narcotics Control Commission Act passed in 2020 transformed the Board into a Commission and gave it additional powers, including the ability to prosecute its own cases through dedicated prosecutors. However, this provision was not implemented for four years by the previous administration. The current leadership has taken steps to operationalise it, enabling the Commission to prosecute its own cases.
Twum-Barimah expressed concerns about the inadequate resources provided to the Commission under the previous administration. He cited the example of the North East Region, where the Commission previously had no vehicle and only two officers were assigned to cover the entire region. He questioned how the Commission could effectively fight the drug menace with such limited resources.
Similar resource challenges existed in other regions, including the Western North Region. Twum-Barimah emphasised that the Commission requires adequate resources to effectively combat narcotics offences. The secured dedicated High Court is expected to improve the prosecution of narcotics cases and ultimately contribute to the fight against narcotics offences in Ghana.
The Deputy Director-General noted that the Commission's efforts to secure a dedicated court were successful after meeting with the Chief Justice and other Supreme Court judges. He stressed that the Commission argued and defended its position, and the Chief Justice eventually answered their call. The dedicated High Court will now handle only Narcotic Control Commission cases.
The establishment of a dedicated High Court for narcotics cases is a significant step towards enhancing the prosecution of narcotics offences in Ghana. The NACOC's efforts to address the challenges in prosecuting narcotics cases are expected to yield positive results. The Commission's success in securing a dedicated court demonstrates its commitment to effectively combating narcotics offences in the country.
Key points
- The Narcotics Control Commission has secured a dedicated High Court to handle narcotics cases.
- The dedicated court aims to address longstanding challenges in the effective prosecution of narcotics cases.
- The Commission had previously faced resource challenges, including limited vehicles and personnel.
