The Smart Generation Governance Hub (SmartGenz) has warned that Ghana is facing an escalating narcotics trafficking challenge that poses a severe threat to national security, the economy, and the future of its youth, requiring an urgent and coordinated national response.
The organisation lamented that iver the past two years, the nation has witnessed a series of high-profile narcotics seizures across its roads, ports, and international gateways.
Major incidents include the March 2025 interception of a tipper truck at Pedu Junction in Cape Coast carrying 3.3 tonnes of cocaine valued at over 350 million US dollars hidden under sand, and the January 2026 interception of 1,613 parcels of suspected narcotics along the Akosombo to Tema Road.
More recently, on 5 August 2026, police seized 866 parcels of suspected cocaine worth nearly 7 million US dollars concealed in sacks of gari at a Tema Harbour warehouse.
Public concern deepened further following a 17 September 2026 incident where traffickers successfully passed through Ghanaian borders only to be arrested by French authorities.
Addressing these developments, Rev. DK Odei-Appiah, Executive Director of SmartGenz, warned that drug trafficking is a sophisticated operation with far-reaching consequences.
“Drug trafficking is not an ordinary criminal activity. It is often carried out through sophisticated networks involving individuals, businesses and, in some cases, people who may have access to influential positions or institutions,” Rev. Odei-Appiah stated. “When such networks succeed, the consequences go far beyond the drugs themselves. They can affect national security, the economy, Ghana’s international reputation and the future of our young people.”
SmartGenz indicated that the persistent movement of large consignments through national borders has raised critical questions regarding the effectiveness of detection systems at ports and airports, as well as potential institutional vulnerabilities that criminal networks may be exploiting.
In response to these concerns, President John Dramani Mahama chaired a high-level meeting with national security chiefs on 17 September 2026, announcing the detention of ten individuals, including four Customs officers, and ordering the creation of an inter-agency task force to stem the flow of illicit drugs.
While acknowledging these initial measures, SmartGenz emphasised that the public expects concrete results, transparent investigations, and systemic reforms across all state institutions.
“The fight against narcotics trafficking cannot be left to NACOC or the Police Service alone,” Rev. Odei-Appiah noted. “Customs, the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Ghana Navy, the Ghana Maritime Authority, the intelligence agencies, the Immigration Service, the judiciary and other relevant institutions must work together. Ghana cannot afford to become a convenient operating environment for international drug-trafficking networks. We must confront this problem before it becomes even more deeply rooted.”
SmartGenz stressed that the ultimate goal must extend beyond making post-transit arrests to building a robust, leak-proof system equipped with functional scanners, strong surveillance, and effective inter-agency information sharing to safeguard the nation’s future.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana