Ghana makes more seizures of illicit drugs

Page 32: Daily Graphic, March 6, 2010.
Story: Albert K. Salia
Ghana made more seizures of cocaine last year as against the same period in 2008. In the first half of 2009, 62 kilogrammes of cocaine were seized by the law enforcement agencies in Ghana as against 33 kilogrammes seized in 2008.
According to the latest statistics released by the US Government, the 2009 half-year cocaine seizure represented 89 per cent more than the seizures in whole of 2008.
In its 2010 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), the US Government noted that Ghana also recorded seizures of 1.7 kilogrammes of cannabis as compared to the 1.4 kg seized in the whole of 2008, representing 22 per cent more. Additionally, more than two kilogrammes of heroin were seized compared to no heroin seizures in 2008.
The report which assessed various countries’ performance in the fight against narcotics, was analysed by the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the US State Department and submitted to Congress on March 1, every year.
It attributed the increase in seizures to greater vigilance on the part of the Ghanaian Government but noted that in spite of the progress being made in the country, corruption and a lack of resources continued to impede interdiction efforts.
It explained that while law enforcement authorities arrested low level narcotics traffickers, Ghana has had less success pursuing the so-called drug barons.
The report also acknowledged that on December 16, 2009, three alleged members of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), were expelled from Ghana and put into custody of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents in Accra, who transported the suspects to the United States.
It said the three were being charged with narcotics terrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation.
On corruption, it said “corruption is pervasive in Ghana’s law enforcement community, including sections of the police and the NACOB. Despite the regular arrests of suspected narcotics traffickers, Ghana has a low rate of conviction, which many officials believe is likely due to corruption within the judicial system”.
The report cited as an example, the replacement of approximately 12 kilogrammes of narcotics at the Police CID Headquarters in January, 2008, with cornstarch, while the narcotics were stored in the police evidence room and noted that although the former President appointed a commission to investigate the theft, which reported its findings in April, 2008, “the President left office in January, 2009 without making public the commission’s findings”.
The report acknowledged the resolve of President J. E. A. Mills to stop people from using Ghana as a narcotics transit corridor and vigorously fight for the total eradication of hard drugs in the country.
In an interaction with President Mills at the Castle on February 3, 2010, the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Mr Johnnie Carson, applauded Ghana for showing great commitment towards fighting the drug menace and other forms of organised crime in the country.