Drug trafficking isn’t a political problem; it’s an institutional one – Senyo Hosi

Convener of the OneGhana Movement and Trustee of the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey, Senyo Hosi, has described drug trafficking in Ghana as an institutional problem, calling for stronger enforcement systems, greater accountability and adequate resources for the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC).

Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, November 14, he argued that the country's fight against drugs must move beyond political debates to address weaknesses within institutions responsible for border security and law enforcement.

Mr Hosi acknowledged improvements in NACOC's operations, particularly the expansion of its presence from approximately eight districts to 81, but maintained that the Commission remained significantly under-resourced.

Although he commended efforts to improve the institution's capacity through training and equipment, he insisted that more investment was needed to enable it to effectively tackle drug trafficking.

Mr Hosi also warned against limiting Ghana's drug problem to cocaine, arguing that synthetic substances posed a serious threat to young people.

"The drug problem should not be made a cocaine problem at all. The bigger problem we have is with the synthetics. Serious problem. That's what our youth are getting into," he said.

Beyond NACOC's capacity, Mr Hosi raised concerns about the effectiveness of cargo scanning systems at Ghana's ports, questioning how cocaine consignments could pass through without detection.

He called for investigations into the operations of port scanners, their maintenance and the role of Customs officers responsible for inspecting containers.

He also questioned reports that some scanners frequently broke down, although he said he could not independently verify the information.

For him, such concerns point to deeper institutional weaknesses that must be investigated rather than turned into political blame games.

"It's no more a political problem. It's a whole institutional problem," he stressed.

He also expressed disappointment that the drug menace had not received sufficient attention in the government's budget, urging authorities to prioritise funding for NACOC, just as they had highlighted the fight against illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.

He warned that Ghana must treat drug trafficking and substance abuse as major national concerns, particularly given the growing exposure of young people to illicit substances.

He added that strengthening enforcement institutions, improving border surveillance, and holding those responsible for trafficking networks accountable were essential to addressing the problem.