Cocaine seizures: Abena Osei-Asare demands independent parliamentary inquiry

The Member of Parliament for Atiwa East, Abena Osei-Asare, has renewed calls for an independent, bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into a series of cocaine seizures linked to Ghana, questioning the  government’s handling of drug trafficking investigations and the effectiveness of measures introduced to combat the illicit trade.

The former Deputy Finance Minister says the repeated interception of suspected cocaine shipments linked to Ghana, both locally and internationally, raises serious questions about the country’s anti-narcotics enforcement efforts and the accountability of government officials.

In a Facebook post, Abena Osei-Asare cited several reported incidents, including seizures at Pedu, Takoradi and Tema, as well as Ghana-linked shipments reportedly intercepted in Australia and Dunkirk.

She also referenced a recent seizure in Beirut, Lebanon, where Lebanese Customs reportedly intercepted 46.7 kilograms of cocaine, although the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) put the quantity at approximately 40 kilograms in its statement.

Expressing concern over the developments, the Minority MP questioned how many more seizures would be required before the government provided comprehensive answers to Ghanaians.

“How many more seizures before this Government accepts that Ghana deserves answers?” she asked.

Her concerns come against the backdrop of assurances given by the Interior Minister, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, on October 20, when he appeared before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.

During the engagement, Muntaka assured lawmakers of strengthened screening measures at Ghana’s airports, alongside additional checks aimed at preventing drug trafficking through the country’s entry and exit points.

However, Abena Osei-Asare questioned whether those assurances were translating into effective results, particularly in light of the latest reported cocaine seizure in Lebanon.

“On 20 October, the Interior Minister assured the Public Accounts Committee of stronger airport screening and additional checks against drug trafficking. So what happened here?” she queried.

The Atiwa East MP also raised concerns about NACOC’s description of the Beirut operation as a “controlled delivery”, particularly its disclosure that investigations were ongoing to identify and apprehend other accomplices believed to be in Ghana.

“NACOC calls the arrest a “controlled delivery”, yet says it is still pursuing the accomplices in Ghana. Arrests need not be simultaneous. But why publicise the operation while those accomplices remain at large? Are we trying to catch them or warn them?

“If the shipment was detected and deliberately allowed through, what arrangements were made to secure the people behind it in Ghana? The Mahama government cannot claim credit for coordination while avoiding scrutiny of the results. Who organised this shipment? Who financed it? What has become of the earlier investigations?”

By: Kabah Atawoge

Radio1 Online