GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi has expressed support for President Mahama's directive to reinstate the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) at Ghana's ports, seven years after its removal. Gyamfi stated that the original 2018 decision to strip NACOC of its port inspection role had created a security gap. The move comes after recent cocaine seizures abroad linked to Ghanaian ports. Gyamfi welcomed the directive, citing concerns over the monitoring vacuum left by NACOC's removal.
NACOC was quietly removed from the list of Port Inspection Agencies in June 2018. The decision's rationale remains unclear, but its impact on NACOC's port inspection function was evident. Gyamfi argued that the removal weakened NACOC's ability to police the ports, creating a monitoring vacuum that Ghanaians should be concerned about. He linked the recent trafficking incident to weak inspection and monitoring systems at the ports.
The renewed focus on Ghana's ports follows a string of cocaine seizures abroad linked to the country. Recent busts in the Netherlands, Paris, and South Africa have raised questions about how narcotics are slipping past Ghanaian port controls undetected. Exporters, freight handlers, and travellers may face tighter checks as authorities tighten oversight. A university lecturer had earlier urged the president to address the pattern of Ghana-linked busts abroad as a serious concern.
NACOC has had to publicly deny claims made during the controversy, including an MP's allegation that a presidential bodyguard was among cocaine trafficking suspects. Gyamfi understood that President Mahama had directed NACOC be granted unrestricted access to all entry and exit points, effective immediately. He added that scanners and personnel stationed at the ports were also to be changed with immediate effect.
Gyamfi stated that if carried out effectively, the measures would help strengthen checks at the ports and prevent a repeat of recent incidents. NACOC's mandate, as set out under Ghanaian law, covers monitoring, regulating, enforcing, and controlling narcotics trafficking nationwide. The agency's removal from the Port Inspection Agencies list in 2018 meant it lost its formal footing to conduct independent checks.
The decision to restore NACOC's port inspection role comes as a relief to many, given the recent trafficking incidents. Gyamfi's backing of the directive highlights the need for strengthened port security. The implementation of the new measures will be crucial in preventing future incidents and ensuring the effective monitoring of Ghana's ports.
The controversy surrounding NACOC's removal and reinstatement highlights the importance of effective port security and the role of anti-narcotics agencies in Ghana. The country's authorities face the task of implementing the new measures and ensuring their effectiveness in preventing narcotics trafficking.
Key points
- President Mahama has directed NACOC be restored to Ghana's official list of Port Inspection Agencies.
- The original 2018 decision to strip NACOC of its port inspection role had created a security gap.
- Recent cocaine seizures abroad have been linked to Ghanaian ports.
