The Ghanaian government's attempt to address the country's narcotics crisis has been marred by blame-shifting, with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) attributing the problem to the previous administration. However, experts argue that this approach is misguided and that the current government should focus on addressing the failures of the present rather than dwelling on the past. The 2018 port reforms, which introduced joint inspections and a risk-based approach, have been unfairly criticized as the sole cause of Ghana's narcotics security issues.
The 2018 reforms were designed to address bureaucratic inefficiencies and reduce delays at the ports. The World Bank documented that Ghana's paperless port system and Joint Inspection Management Information System aimed to improve clearance efficiency by coordinating agencies involved in inspections. NACOC remained at the ports but was no longer part of routine physical container inspections. This change allowed for more targeted and efficient inspections, concentrating resources on higher-risk consignments.
Contrary to claims that the 2018 reforms crippled Ghana's fight against narcotics, there have been significant seizures in recent years. In January 2018, approximately 56 kilogrammes of cocaine were seized at Ghana Post, with six Ghanaians arrested. In June 2024, NACOC, working with the UK National Crime Agency, intercepted 166.88 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine at Kotoka International Airport, arresting two British nationals. These examples demonstrate that Ghana's narcotics enforcement institutions were still capable of detecting major consignments years after the 2018 changes.
The question remains as to why the NDC government did not immediately reverse the 2018 reforms when it returned to power in January 2025. Instead, it waited until a major international interception exposed weaknesses in the system before turning the 2018 reforms into the central explanation. The government should investigate what went wrong and take responsibility for fixing the problems rather than pointing to the past.
The recent international cases, including a US$208 million Australian methamphetamine case, demand accountability and stronger intelligence-sharing, effective port surveillance, proper scanning, and competent investigations and prosecution of those involved. Ghanaian authorities have implicated people within the system, and NACOC has announced arrests connected to the case. Those allegations and investigations must be allowed to establish who did what and who, if anyone, should face prosecution.
The government should resist the temptation to reduce a serious national-security problem to partisan rhetoric. If officials or politically connected individuals facilitated the movement of narcotics, they should be investigated. If port officials failed in their duties, they should be investigated. If security systems were inadequate, they should be fixed. The central issue is simple: Ghana needs results, not excuses.
Ultimately, Ghana needs a serious war against the drug trade, not a political war over who gets blamed for it. The responsibility of every government is to protect Ghana's borders, strengthen its institutions, and ensure that those who facilitate the narcotics trade are identified and prosecuted. The NDC government should focus on answering the harder questions about 2025 and 2026, such as what went wrong, who was responsible, and what has been fixed.
Key points
- The 2018 port reforms did not cripple Ghana's fight against narcotics, as evidenced by significant seizures in recent years.
- The government should focus on addressing the failures of the present rather than blaming the past.
- Accountability and stronger intelligence-sharing are crucial in combating Ghana's narcotics crisis.
