Catholic Bishops Demand Urgent Action Against Drug Trafficking

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called for urgent and coordinated national action to combat illicit drug trafficking and abuse, describing the menace as a serious national concern.

The call follows the recent seizure of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine in France, reportedly concealed in a container of plastic waste originating from Ghana.

In a statement, the Bishops said the development highlights the need for stronger surveillance, accountability and security measures at Ghana’s ports, airports and borders.

They called for investigations to establish how such a large consignment of cocaine allegedly passed through legitimate commercial channels.

The Conference commended the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) and other state agencies for their efforts to combat drug trafficking and urged continued collaboration with French authorities to uncover the full extent of the network involved.

The Bishops also welcomed the formation of an inter-agency task force by President John Dramani Mahama to address the trafficking of narcotic drugs through Ghana’s ports, airports and borders.

According to the Conference, the Dunkirk cocaine seizure should be seen as part of a wider national problem, pointing to several other narcotics interceptions linked to Ghana in recent years.

The Bishops further expressed concern over the alleged involvement of people in positions of trust, including public officials and, regrettably, some members of the Church.

They stressed that the fight against drug trafficking must extend to anyone who abuses public trust to facilitate the movement of illicit substances.

The Conference also called for investigations to go beyond couriers to identify the financiers and principal traffickers behind the illegal drug trade.

It said prosecuting couriers while the networks financing and coordinating the trafficking escape scrutiny would undermine efforts to tackle the problem effectively.