NPP youth organiser questions Ghana’s anti-drug efforts, demands disclosure of diplomatic passports

Abanga Yakubu Fuseini, a youth organiser for the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has expressed concerns over the increasing drug-related cases in Ghana. He questioned the effectiveness of the country's anti-drug efforts, citing the recent seizure of 40 kilogrammes of cocaine linked to Ghana in Lebanon as a damaging blow to Ghana's international reputation.

Mr Fuseini raised doubts about the circumstances surrounding the consignment's departure from Ghana and its subsequent arrival in Lebanon without the supposed perpetrator being apprehended at the Kotoka International Airport or a port of exit. He asserted that such incidents could erode public trust in Ghana's commitment to fighting drug trafficking and further tarnish the nation's image abroad.

Furthermore, Mr Fuseini tied his concerns to the ongoing discussion surrounding the issuance of diplomatic and service passports. He urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to instruct the Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to reveal the quantity of diplomatic passports distributed since 2025. This disclosure, he argued, was crucial to maintaining transparency and safeguarding diplomatic travel documents from being exploited by individuals involved in illicit activities.

Mr Fuseini pointed out that diplomatic passport holders are often afforded specific privileges and leniency during travel, such as less stringent security measures compared to ordinary travelers. He warned that the misuse of these documents by people linked to criminal activities could harm Ghana's international standing.