Kwesi Aning warns Ghana could face more cocaine seizures without stronger port checks

Security analyst Kwesi Aning says Ghana risks seeing more major cocaine seizures linked to the country unless the Narcotics Control Commission is properly equipped and included in routine inspections at the borders. He described NACOC’s exclusion from regular port checks as disturbing, according to the report. His warning comes amid renewed attention to port security following several high-profile drug seizures connected to consignments from Ghana. Among them was a shipment intercepted by French authorities at the Port of Dunkirk in September. The container, reportedly carrying plastic waste from Ghana, concealed tonnes of cocaine valued at about €225 million. The report traces the inspection arrangements to reforms announced in 2018 by then Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia. The changes reduced the number of agencies involved in routine joint physical inspections at Ghana’s ports from 16 to three: the Ghana Standards Authority, the Food and Drugs Authority and Customs. NACOC and National Security were instead expected to join inspections when intelligence indicated a need. Former Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul has confirmed that NACOC officers remained at the port after the reforms, but were no longer part of routine physical container inspections. Aning argues that specialist narcotics expertise is important at the point of inspection because officers familiar with trafficking methods may identify warning signs that others miss. President John Dramani Mahama has since directed that NACOC be reinstated immediately in the Joint Container Inspection regime, the report says. Aning maintains that restoring the commission’s role should go together with retooling it. He pointed to modern scanning equipment, forensic laboratories, K9 units, intelligence systems and adequate funding as needs for strengthening its work. In Aning’s view, the scale of recent seizures suggests trafficking networks have become entrenched. Without greater capacity and regular involvement in inspections, he warned, Ghana could be linked to further cocaine busts at foreign ports.