Parliament reconvenes today, September 29, after Speaker Alban Bagbin recalled the House following a petition by the Minority caucus under Article 112(3). At the heart of the recall is a damning trail of narcotics seizures linked to Ghana, valued at over US$1 billion.
The most recent is the seizure by French Customs of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine concealed in a container of plastic waste that left Ghana and arrived at the Port of Dunkirk on September 10, 2026. The Minority has also cited the 3.3 tonnes seized at Pedu Junction in March 2025, 866 parcels at Tema Harbour in August 2026, and 320kg of methamphetamine in a charcoal consignment traced to Ghana and seized in Australia in June 2026.
The Minority wants Ministers for Interior, Transport and National Security, and officials of NACOC, GPHA, GRA and NIB to account for how containers are processed, inspected, cleared and exported from Ghana. The Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has rejected the call as “a misplaced call,” arguing that NACOC is already investigating and Parliament should not interfere.
Both sides are missing the point. The question is not whether we probe NACOC, but whether we equip NACOC.
If Parliament is recalled, the focus must shift from political point-scoring to the urgent operational needs of the Narcotics Control Commission, which is mandated by the NACOC Act to deal with narcotics offenses. Without addressing these, Ghana will remain a transit point.
Why NACOC’s Needs Are Central to Fighting Drug Trafficking:
Scanning and Surveillance Gaps at Ports:
The Dunkirk case raises a simple question: how did 3.9 tonnes leave Tema without detection? The Minority itself is asking about the adequacy of scanning, surveillance and intelligence systems at our ports. NACOC officers at Tema and Takoradi still rely on manual profiling and outdated scanners. Many containers are cleared without 100% scanning. We need non-intrusive cargo scanners, drug trace detectors, and AI-assisted risk profiling systems.
Intelligence and Inter-Agency Collaboration:
Drug networks are transnational. The seizures require cooperation with French, Australian and other counterparts. President Mahama has already directed security agencies to develop a blueprint for inter-agency collaboration. NACOC cannot fight this alone when GPHA controls the port gates, GRA-Customs controls valuation, and NIB controls intel. The Commission needs a statutory joint port intelligence task force with real-time data sharing, not memos.
Funding for Investigations Beyond Peripheral Actors:
More than a year after the Pedu Junction 3.3-tonne seizure, only the driver and a housemaid have been arraigned, while alleged financiers have not been identified. Tracking financiers requires forensic accounting, controlled deliveries, undercover operations and international mutual legal assistance – all expensive. NACOC’s budget remains woefully inadequate for such complex investigations. 0840
Manpower and Welfare:
Currently, NACOC has less than 1,500 field officers nationwide. Its officers are exposed to cartels worth billions with little risk allowance, insurance or witness protection for informants.
The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference rightly described the recall as “legitimate and necessary” but warned against partisan point-scoring.
Therefore, as Parliament sits today, the Minority and parliament in general must not close its eyes to what NACOC needs to actually win this war.
A probe that only asks “who cleared the container” but does not approve funds for scanners, that summons NACOC officers but does not give them legal backing for joint inspections, will be an exercise in futility.
Written by : William Gentu
