Ghana's Second Deputy Minority Whip, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has defended the 2018 decision to exclude the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) from routine joint physical inspections of export containers at the country's ports. He stated that the move was part of reforms aimed at reducing duplication and delays caused by 16 government agencies involved in inspecting containers. The reforms were implemented to streamline the inspection process and reduce bureaucracy under Ghana's paperless port system.
Ahmed Shaib explained that the 2018 decision did not remove NACOC from the ports entirely, but only excluded it from routine physical inspections for exports. He emphasized that NACOC officers continued to operate at the ports and were expected to intervene when intelligence pointed to a particular container or consignment. The MP argued that the reforms were necessary to address complaints from importers and exporters about multiple agencies repeatedly inspecting the same containers, causing delays and bureaucratic bottlenecks.
The recent seizure of nearly 3.9 tonnes of suspected cocaine by French customs at the port of Dunkirk from a container shipped from Ghana has raised concerns about the port inspection system. Critics have linked the recent drug trafficking cases to NACOC's exclusion from routine physical inspections. However, Ahmed Shaib questioned why subsequent governments had not identified and addressed alleged gaps in the 2018 reforms earlier, if they were indeed responsible for the current challenges.
GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi has argued that the 2018 decision weakened NACOC's ability to detect and prevent narcotics trafficking through the ports. In response, the government has restored NACOC to the mandatory joint inspection process at the ports as part of measures to strengthen checks against narcotics trafficking. Ahmed Shaib's comments were made on Accra-based TV3's Hot Issues on Sunday, September 27.
Ahmed Shaib called for a bipartisan probe into drug cases, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive investigation. He made these remarks in light of the recent cocaine seizure and the ongoing scrutiny of the port inspection system. The MP's defense of the 2018 reforms comes amid renewed debate about the effectiveness of the current inspection process.
The 2018 reforms aimed to reduce duplication and delays by streamlining the inspection process. According to Ahmed Shaib, the reforms were consistent with efforts to reduce bureaucracy under Ghana's paperless port system. The MP emphasized that the decision to exclude NACOC from routine physical inspections was premised on a good reason.
The government has taken steps to strengthen checks against narcotics trafficking, including restoring NACOC to the mandatory joint inspection process. A bipartisan probe into drug cases is expected to shed more light on the current challenges and potential solutions.
Key points
- The 2018 reforms aimed to reduce duplication and delays by streamlining the inspection process.
- NACOC was excluded from routine physical inspections for exports but continued to operate at the ports.
- The government has restored NACOC to the mandatory joint inspection process to strengthen checks against narcotics trafficking.
