NACOC needs more personnel to tackle drug trafficking – Toobu

Ghana must significantly expand the ranks of personnel within the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to effectively combat the increasingly sophisticated drug trafficking networks, according to Peter Lanchene Toobu, Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee. Toobu, the Wa West MP, emphasized that bolstering the Commission should extend beyond providing advanced technology and equipment, stressing that an adequate number of trained officers is crucial for detecting and disrupting narcotics operations nationwide.

His plea comes in light of heightened scrutiny on Ghana's involvement in international drug trafficking investigations, following the seizure of approximately 3.9 tonnes of suspected cocaine by French authorities from a container that originated in Ghana. Toobu, speaking in an interview with Citi FM on September 19, 2026, highlighted that the issue transcends mere rhetoric, as police and other agencies are also engaged, yet NACOC lacks sufficient personnel.

He urged the government to allocate resources for recruiting and training additional officers to deploy across the country effectively. "We should get men and recruit more people and train them and deploy them effectively. And they will help us to fight this menace," Toobu asserted. The MP also advocated for enhanced collaboration among security agencies, emphasizing that manpower should be complemented by coordinated efforts.

This call comes amid concerns over NACOC's limited nationwide reach, with Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak revealing in July that the Commission operates in only 66 out of Ghana's 261 districts due to personnel and equipment shortages. NACOC has defended its recent activities, asserting that they are intelligence-driven and disclosed that suspects linked to the French cocaine seizure had been under surveillance for between one and two years prior to their arrest.