The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on President John Dramani Mahama to dismiss the heads of four key security institutions over what it describes as persistent failures to prevent cocaine trafficking through Ghana’s ports and airports.
The party is also demanding a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into at least 14 major cocaine and other drug seizures linked to Ghana between March 2025 and October 2026.
Addressing a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the NPP’s Second National Vice Chairman, Henry Nana Boakye, popularly known as Nana B, accused the government of failing to take decisive action against officials responsible for securing the country’s borders.
He specifically called for the immediate dismissal of the heads of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and National Security, arguing that the repeated interceptions point to serious weaknesses in the country’s anti-drug trafficking systems.
According to Nana Boakye, Ghana has recorded no fewer than 14 major drug seizures within the period under review, with seven recorded locally, involving approximately 3.6 tonnes of cocaine, while more than 12 tonnes of cocaine allegedly traced to Ghana have been intercepted in foreign countries.
He estimated the street value of the cocaine seized abroad at between 1.3 billion and 1.7 billion US dollars.
The NPP’s latest concerns follow the arrest of a Syrian national at the Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, on October 31, 2026, after he allegedly arrived from Accra with 46.7 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in two suitcases.
The seizure, which Lebanese authorities have reportedly described as the largest drug interception in the airport’s history, has raised fresh questions about the effectiveness of security measures at the Kotoka International Airport.
Nana Boakye questioned the National Anti-Narcotics Control Commission’s explanation that the cocaine was allowed to leave Ghana as part of a controlled delivery operation conducted in collaboration with Lebanese authorities.
He said the party was concerned about the lack of clarity surrounding the operation, particularly the identities of three foreign nationals NACOC reportedly claimed to have arrested in Ghana.
He also questioned why Lebanese authorities had not publicly acknowledged Ghanaian security agencies as partners in the operation and demanded clarification on reports that bribes were paid at the Accra airport to facilitate the movement of the cocaine.
The NPP vice chairman further questioned discrepancies in the accounts provided by Ghanaian and Lebanese authorities regarding the quantity of cocaine seized and the date of the arrest.
He insisted that government must provide a joint account of the operation with Lebanese authorities and publish the names, nationalities and charges of all persons arrested in connection with the case.
Nana Boakye also revisited the September 2026 seizure of approximately 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Dunkirk in France. The consignment, concealed in a container declared as plastic waste and shipped from Ghana, was valued at about 225 million euros.
He recalled that following the incident, President Mahama announced an emergency security meeting on September 17 and established an inter-agency task force, with a two-week deadline to develop a roadmap to address drug trafficking through Ghana’s borders.
However, he accused the government of failing to make the roadmap public despite the October 1 deadline.
The NPP also raised concerns about the prosecution of Musah Attah, popularly known as Kromo, who is among four Ghanaians reportedly charged in connection with the Dunkirk cocaine seizure.
Nana Boakye questioned how the accused, whom NACOC has described as a farmer, allegedly gained access to the security cordon of President Mahama and Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
He called on government to explain the circumstances surrounding the alleged association and provide regular updates on the prosecution.
Beyond the recent seizures, the opposition party is demanding the publication of all diplomatic and service passports issued since January 2025, including the names of beneficiaries and the authorities responsible for approving them.
It has also called for the suspension of the direct maritime shipping arrangement between the Port of Tema and Colombia’s Port of Cartagena pending a comprehensive security review, citing concerns about the movement of illicit drugs along international shipping routes.
Nana Boakye argued that the repeated cocaine interceptions could undermine Ghana’s international reputation as a peaceful and stable country while exposing the nation to the dangers of organised crime, corruption and money laundering.
He maintained that the government could no longer attribute the situation to the previous administration, insisting that the latest seizures occurred under the current government’s watch.
The NPP has therefore outlined a series of demands, including a bipartisan parliamentary investigation into all Ghana-linked drug seizures since January 2025, the publication of the delayed security task force roadmap within seven days, and the arrest and prosecution of any officials found to have facilitated the movement of narcotics through the country’s airport.
The party is also demanding an independent investigation into the leadership of the four security institutions and the publication of details of the alleged arrests linked to the Beirut operation.
Concluding his address, Nana Boakye urged President Mahama to take immediate steps to strengthen border security and prevent Ghana from becoming a major transit route for international drug trafficking networks.
He warned that failure to address the situation could further damage the country’s reputation and compromise national security.
Source :www.kumasimail.com
