PAG calls for Ghana to ‘follow the drugs and follow the money’ amid narcotics seizures

The Progressive Alliance for Ghana (PAG) has urged a thorough investigation into recent drug seizures in Ghana, emphasizing the need to delve deeper than merely focusing on those arrested. The party's communication director, Donald Dzameshie, stated that the scale of recent drug seizures demands a comprehensive inquiry to uncover the broader networks allegedly financing and facilitating these operations.

PAG asserted that Ghana must "follow the drugs and follow the money," urging investigations to identify the sources of financing, the orchestrators of shipments, and whether individuals or networks within Ghana facilitated their movement. The party specifically called for scrutiny of Ghana's ports, borders, security agencies, and regulatory institutions to determine if these seizures resulted from institutional shortcomings, negligence, or deliberate facilitation.

PAG also urged Parliament to take on oversight responsibilities, demanding answers from relevant institutions regarding the circumstances surrounding the narcotics seizures. The party urged that the issue should not be a political battleground between the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), stressing that drug trafficking is a national security concern rather than a partisan issue.

PAG called for a nationwide response involving security agencies, Parliament, and other relevant institutions, with investigations centered on establishing facts and identifying those responsible. The party stressed that accountability should be based on concrete evidence and due process, cautioning against condemning individuals merely due to their names appearing in political statements.

PAG warned that the issue could impact Ghana's international reputation, particularly if perceived as a transshipment point for international narcotics networks. They advocated for enhanced security measures at Ghana's ports and borders, improved intelligence-sharing among relevant institutions, and systems to detect and disrupt international drug-trafficking networks.

The party urged any task force established to investigate the matter to have a clear mandate and measurable outcomes, cautioning against creating another committee whose report might receive little or no follow-up.