Govt declares war on drug trafficking
Gilbert Boyefio
27/10/2006
Government has declared war on drug trafficking, aimed at rendering drug abuse and trafficking in the country a most unattractive enterprise for both Ghanaians and foreigners.
It has also pledged its support and continued collaboration with the global community to do all that has to be done to ensure that the negative identification of Ghana with narcotics is completely erased.
The Minister of Interior, Albert Kan-Dapaah, disclosed this at a press conference in Accra yesterday at the launch of 'Operation WestBridge', a collaborative project between the Governments of Ghana and the United Kingdom in a concerted effort to fight the drug menace.
Operation WestBridge involves the deployment of experienced UK Customs Officers to train their Ghanaian counterparts as well as other related security agencies. Another facet of the collaboration, is the installation of a state of the art IONSCAN detection equipment at the Kotoka International Airport to assist the security agencies to combat the trafficking of narcotic drugs to and from the airport.
The operation, which will commence on November 15 this year, will continue for a period ranging between one and two years and will include training on the use of the equipment, profiling, targeting, intelligence gathering, questioning and other anti- smuggling techniques.
Mr Kan-Dapaah acknowledged that there is indeed a drug problem in Ghana and in other parts of the world as well, which need urgent attention. He noted that all over the world governments are expressing serious concerns about the scourge of drug abuse and are embarking upon measures to deal with the problem.
According to him, the concern being shown by Government is justified, because it does not want to earn for itself the dubious reputation of being a transit point for narcotic drugs.
He observed that the setting up of the high powered Georgina Wood Committee was a deliberate effort to demonstrate Government"s determination to fight drug trafficking.
Mr Kan-Dapaah said this year, significant legislations had been passed to discourage drug traffickers, and disclosed that plans are far advanced to pass more laws to that effect, including the Anti-Money Laundering Bill, as well as the Proceeds of Crime Bill, within the shortest possible time.
He said a five day consultative meeting of experts on narcotic control will open today at Elmina, on the theme, "Enhancing the capacity of the Narcotics Control Board and the way Forward", with experts drawn from Ghana, UK, the United Nations Development Programme, the United States of America, and the European Union.
The meeting will examine drug issues in the country, provide inputs into a new drug policy, recommend a new structure for the Narcotics Control Board and determine the logistical and other resource needs of the NACOB.
The consultative meeting is also expected to produce a discussion document for the National Task Force which will be convened in the very near future. The setting up of a NTF was part of the recommendations made by the Georgina Wood Committee.
Drugs abused in the country include marijuana, cocaine, heroin and some amphetamine type stimulants or psychotropic substances.
On her part, Bridget Prentice, a Parliamentary under Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, UK, said according to statistics from the UN Office for Drugs and Crime, the world-wide drugs trade has a street value of $321billion.
She said the international nature and context of organised crime has shown that issues related to drugs are no more a domestic problem but a global one that needs a global response. "That is why the UK is engaged in tackling narcotics trafficking at every stage along the supply chain", she added.
She disclosed that the UK has been following the situation in Ghana closely, and has been concerned by the increasing quantities of cocaine and other hard drugs passing through the shores of Ghana on their way to Europe and elsewhere.
Ms Prentice however commended Government's determination to tackle the problem, and to act quickly to expose those who are using their position to facilitate the trafficking of narcotics by setting up the Georgina Wood Committee and also seeking to pass legislation that would make life more difficult for those who seek to use Ghana as a transit point for drugs.
27/10/2006
Government has declared war on drug trafficking, aimed at rendering drug abuse and trafficking in the country a most unattractive enterprise for both Ghanaians and foreigners.
It has also pledged its support and continued collaboration with the global community to do all that has to be done to ensure that the negative identification of Ghana with narcotics is completely erased.
The Minister of Interior, Albert Kan-Dapaah, disclosed this at a press conference in Accra yesterday at the launch of 'Operation WestBridge', a collaborative project between the Governments of Ghana and the United Kingdom in a concerted effort to fight the drug menace.
Operation WestBridge involves the deployment of experienced UK Customs Officers to train their Ghanaian counterparts as well as other related security agencies. Another facet of the collaboration, is the installation of a state of the art IONSCAN detection equipment at the Kotoka International Airport to assist the security agencies to combat the trafficking of narcotic drugs to and from the airport.
The operation, which will commence on November 15 this year, will continue for a period ranging between one and two years and will include training on the use of the equipment, profiling, targeting, intelligence gathering, questioning and other anti- smuggling techniques.
Mr Kan-Dapaah acknowledged that there is indeed a drug problem in Ghana and in other parts of the world as well, which need urgent attention. He noted that all over the world governments are expressing serious concerns about the scourge of drug abuse and are embarking upon measures to deal with the problem.
According to him, the concern being shown by Government is justified, because it does not want to earn for itself the dubious reputation of being a transit point for narcotic drugs.
He observed that the setting up of the high powered Georgina Wood Committee was a deliberate effort to demonstrate Government"s determination to fight drug trafficking.
Mr Kan-Dapaah said this year, significant legislations had been passed to discourage drug traffickers, and disclosed that plans are far advanced to pass more laws to that effect, including the Anti-Money Laundering Bill, as well as the Proceeds of Crime Bill, within the shortest possible time.
He said a five day consultative meeting of experts on narcotic control will open today at Elmina, on the theme, "Enhancing the capacity of the Narcotics Control Board and the way Forward", with experts drawn from Ghana, UK, the United Nations Development Programme, the United States of America, and the European Union.
The meeting will examine drug issues in the country, provide inputs into a new drug policy, recommend a new structure for the Narcotics Control Board and determine the logistical and other resource needs of the NACOB.
The consultative meeting is also expected to produce a discussion document for the National Task Force which will be convened in the very near future. The setting up of a NTF was part of the recommendations made by the Georgina Wood Committee.
Drugs abused in the country include marijuana, cocaine, heroin and some amphetamine type stimulants or psychotropic substances.
On her part, Bridget Prentice, a Parliamentary under Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, UK, said according to statistics from the UN Office for Drugs and Crime, the world-wide drugs trade has a street value of $321billion.
She said the international nature and context of organised crime has shown that issues related to drugs are no more a domestic problem but a global one that needs a global response. "That is why the UK is engaged in tackling narcotics trafficking at every stage along the supply chain", she added.
She disclosed that the UK has been following the situation in Ghana closely, and has been concerned by the increasing quantities of cocaine and other hard drugs passing through the shores of Ghana on their way to Europe and elsewhere.
Ms Prentice however commended Government's determination to tackle the problem, and to act quickly to expose those who are using their position to facilitate the trafficking of narcotics by setting up the Georgina Wood Committee and also seeking to pass legislation that would make life more difficult for those who seek to use Ghana as a transit point for drugs.
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