Ghana learns from Zambia to curb drug trafficking

Officials of the Narcotic Control Board (NARCOB) of Ghana, the country’s drug enforcement agency is in Zambia to pick lessons on how to curb the menace in Ghana.

The Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) reports that a member of the NARCOB team on the trip says Ghana wants to learn on how Zambia is reducing the cases of drug trafficking.

Mr. Stephen Adongo was reported to have praised Zambia for involving its traditional rulers in curbing drug trafficking in the East African country.

According to the report Mr. Adongo says Ghana wants to learn how to reduce drug trafficking from Zambia.

Ghana’s drug enforcement officials came under criticisms recently following the release of US Embassy cables by the whistle blowing website, WikiLeaks.

The cables say Ghanaian officials including some close to the presidency know who the drug barons in the country are, but choose not to arrest them. Instead they arrest only small couriers.

According to the cables which were written on Friday, December 21, 2007, Ghana is becoming a significant transshipment point for cocaine from South America and heroin from South East Asia.

“The Government of Ghana does not have a handle on the issue and lacks an overarching strategy to deal with the problem,” The cables said.

According to the cables Ghana focuses more on prevention rather than investigations of drugs trafficking.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi