Effia MP says NACOC lacks funds, vehicles and weapons to fight drug trafficking

Pinned summary · as of 14:19

The Narcotics Control Commission faces severe funding shortages that leave it unable to combat drug trafficking effectively, according to Isaac Boamah-Nyarko, the Member of Parliament for Effia. He said the agency lacks scanners, laboratory capacity, and adequate vehicles and weapons, particularly at its Takoradi office.

What we know

• Mr Boamah-Nyarko told Citi Newsroom and MyNewsGH that NACOC faces significant reductions in budgetary allocations over the years, leaving it without basic equipment and resources needed for enforcement.
• According to both Citi Newsroom and MyNewsGH, the MP said NACOC's nationwide vehicle fleet consists of about 26 or 27 units, most of which are in poor working order.
• Mr Boamah-Nyarko said NACOC must outsource drug testing to third-party laboratories because it lacks the facilities to run its own testing programmes, Citi Newsroom and MyNewsGH reported.
• The Takoradi office has acute shortages of weapons and operational equipment, according to Mr Boamah-Nyarko, as reported by both Citi Newsroom and MyNewsGH.
• Mr Boamah-Nyarko said NACOC personnel pursue armed drug dealers without adequate logistical support.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghana's drug trafficking poses risks to public health and security across the country, particularly in ports and coastal cities like Takoradi where smuggling networks operate. If NACOC cannot properly resource its officers or test seized substances, criminal networks face less risk of detection and prosecution, which affects policing capacity and community safety from Accra to the Western Region.