The Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, has urged traditional leaders to throw their weight behind the national campaign against drug abuse, warning that the fight cannot be won by law enforcement agencies alone.
He said the growing threat of illicit drugs posed a serious danger to the country’s future, particularly the youth, and therefore called for the active involvement of traditional rulers in raising awareness and offering community support.
“If we don’t stop it, our future will be in jeopardy. We do our part by investigating, arresting and prosecuting offenders, but we also need your help. Your prominent leaders and people will listen to you; add your voice to the campaign,” he appealed.
Brigadier General Mantey made the call during a courtesy call on the Akwamu Traditional Council in the Eastern Region, where he paid homage to the Divisional Chief of Santewase, Nana Mintah IV, and later the Akwamuhene, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III.
The visit formed part of his inspection tour of the land allocated for the construction of a NACOC training school in Santewase, a division of Akwamuman.
The facility is expected to serve as a centre of excellence for the training of personnel in the fight against illicit drugs.
It will bolster NACOC’s efforts to strengthen enforcement and education in modern technologies and techniques for the fight against drug trafficking and abuse across the country.
Patriotic contribution
At Aboasa, Santewase, Brigadier General Mantey commended Nana Mintah IV for supporting the vision initiated by the commission, describing the release of land for the school as a patriotic contribution to national development.
“You want the best for the country by giving land for a school that would train personnel to fight drugs. What you’ve done is commendable. I had to come and see for myself and say thank you,” he said.
He added that NACOC intended to deepen engagement with traditional authorities across the country as part of its multi-pronged approach to address the drug menace.
For his part, Nana Mintah IV expressed satisfaction with the progress of the collaboration, promising his full support for the completion of the project.
“I’m happy with how things are going. I’ll do whatever is needed to ensure this school becomes a reality and that Akwamuman benefits from it.
This is a big thing. I wish we could complete it in a month so Ghana and Akwamuman can benefit immensely,” he added.
Council’s backing
The delegation, which included NACOC Deputy Director-Generals, Twum Barima and Stephen Yeboah, as well as directors of the commission, later called on the Akwamuhene, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, at his palace at Akwamufie.
The Akwamuhene acknowledged the mandate of the commission, stressing that it was vital in securing the future of the country.
He, therefore, gave strong assurances of the traditional council’s backing, saying there would be no land disputes to the development of the school.
“You have the support of the entire Akwamuman. Your job is crucial to protecting our people, especially the young ones. Our interest in this project is in perpetuity.
“The land belongs to NACOC. Keep us informed with how things progress; we are partners in this,” he said.
Context
In a major breakthrough in the drugs fight, NACOC arrested a notorious Nigerian drug trafficker, Uchechukwu Chima, 56, in an intelligence-led operation on Tuesday, March 18, at Oyarifa, a suburb of Accra.
The NACOC team discovered a substantial quantity of suspected narcotic drugs at Chima's hideout, which field tests confirmed to be cocaine and heroin, weighing approximately 192kg and 0.42kg, respectively, with a street value of $2.1 million.
Chima, a long-time target of NACOC, is believed to be the mastermind behind several previous seizures and arrests made by the commission.
This successful operation has removed a significant amount of illicit substances from the streets, potentially saving millions of lives.
Drug trafficking
NACOC remains committed to making Ghana an unprofitable destination for drug trafficking, ensuring the safety and well-being of Ghanaians and the international community.
This arrest is a significant milestone in NACOC's efforts to disrupt the illegal drug trade in Ghana.
The Narcotics Control Commission has been working tirelessly to combat the production, sale and usage of narcotic substances in Ghana. In a recent operation, NACOC seized 20.5kg of cannabis in busts across three days.
The commission has also collaborated with the Ghana Navy and the Ghana Police to arrest six persons and confiscate 81 sacks of suspected marijuana.
These efforts demonstrate the government's commitment to protecting the citizens of Ghana from the harmful effects of drug abuse.
The destruction of confiscated drugs, such as the burning of 242 sacks of marijuana,16 kilogrammes of cocaine and buckets of heroin, is also part of this effort.
The arrest of Uchechukwu Chima and the ongoing efforts of NACOC highlight the importance of combating drug trafficking in Ghana and the need for continued vigilance and cooperation among law enforcement agencies.
