Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, has welcomed President John Dramani Mahama's reported directive to restore the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to Ghana's list of Port Inspection Agencies. This move comes after a recent drug trafficking incident linked to one of Ghana's ports. Mr. Gyamfi stated that the incident raised questions about the effectiveness of monitoring and inspection systems at Ghana's ports.
According to Mr. Gyamfi, NACOC, which is mandated to monitor, regulate, enforce, and control narcotics trafficking, was removed from the list of Port Inspection Agencies by the government in June 2018. He argued that this decision weakened NACOC's port inspection function. Mr. Gyamfi expressed concern that the removal of NACOC from port inspections may have contributed to the recent drug trafficking incident.
Mr. Gyamfi said the reported decision by President Mahama to restore NACOC to the inspection regime was a welcome development. He stated that it is refreshing to learn that President Mahama has directed that effective immediately, NACOC be restored to the list of Port Inspection Agencies and granted unfettered access to all entry and exit points; by air, land, and sea.
The directive also includes the immediate change of all scanners and personnel at Ghana's ports. Mr. Gyamfi believes that these measures, if implemented effectively, will strengthen checks and control at Ghana's ports to forestall the recurrence of these unfortunate incidents. He emphasized that the development was a matter of concern to patriotic Ghanaians.
Mr. Gyamfi's comments come after a recent incident of drug trafficking linked to one of Ghana's ports. The incident has raised concerns about the country's monitoring and inspection systems. According to Mr. Gyamfi, clearly, these incidents could have only been occasioned by weak monitoring and inspection systems at Ghana's ports.
The restoration of NACOC's role in port inspections is expected to enhance the country's ability to detect and prevent drug trafficking. Mr. Gyamfi's support for the directive is significant, given his role as CEO of Sammy Gyamfi. His comments reflect a broader concern about the effectiveness of Ghana's monitoring and inspection systems.
The implementation of President Mahama's directive will be crucial in determining its effectiveness. The directive's success will depend on the effective deployment of NACOC personnel and scanners at Ghana's ports. The incident has highlighted the need for robust monitoring and inspection systems to prevent drug trafficking.
Key points
- Sammy Gyamfi supports President Mahama's directive to restore NACOC at Ghana's ports.
- NACOC was removed from the list of Port Inspection Agencies in June 2018.
- The directive includes the immediate change of all scanners and personnel at Ghana's ports.
