Government has strengthened NACOC to fight against drug trafficking – Majority

The Majority Caucus in Ghana's Parliament has praised the Mahama administration for significantly strengthening the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) in its ongoing battle against drug trafficking. Over the past few years, NACOC has witnessed a sharp increase in arrests, seizures, and institutional reforms, which have been credited to the government's efforts.

The caucus highlighted the commission's past struggles, which included underfunding, inadequate staffing, poor logistics, and limited operational reach. They emphasized that NACOC had fewer than 1,500 personnel nationwide before 2025 and lacked critical investigative and forensic capabilities needed to combat modern trafficking syndicates.

The Majority Caucus also pointed out that NACOC was excluded from mandatory joint inspections at the Tema Port in 2018, which hampered efforts to intercept narcotics shipments. Additionally, the absence of a dedicated narcotics court contributed to delays in prosecuting drug-related offenses. Despite these challenges, the Majority Caucus noted a series of major narcotics seizures that have thrust Ghana into the spotlight of international anti-drug enforcement agencies.

These include the interception of a tipper truck carrying over 3.3 tons of cocaine, a truck with about 120 slabs of suspected cocaine, and 89.7 kilograms of cocaine hidden in wooden boxes at the Accra International Airport. The string of seizures has raised concerns about Ghana's vulnerability to transnational trafficking networks, leading to intensified political debate over the issue.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Chronicle Ghana's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.