The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has urged the government to take urgent and coordinated action against illicit drug trafficking and abuse, describing the issue as a serious national concern and a profound moral crisis.
The call follows the recent seizure of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine in France, allegedly concealed in a container of plastic waste from Ghana. The Bishops said the incident highlights the need for stronger surveillance and accountability at the country’s ports, airports and borders.
In a statement, the Conference said investigations must establish how such a large consignment allegedly passed through legitimate commercial channels, and that the Dunkirk seizure must be viewed within the context of a wider national problem, citing several other narcotics interceptions linked to Ghana in recent years.
The Bishops commended the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) and other state agencies involved in combating the trade, and urged continued cooperation with French authorities to establish the full extent of the network involved.
They welcomed the formation of an inter‑agency task force by President John Dramani Mahama to tackle the trafficking of narcotic drugs through Ghana’s ports, airports and borders, and expressed concern over the alleged involvement of people in positions of trust, including public officials and, with regret, members of the Church.
“The fight must include anyone who abuses public trust to facilitate the movement of illicit substances,” the statement said. The Conference further called for investigations to go beyond couriers and identify the financiers and principal traffickers behind the drug trade, noting that a pattern in which couriers are prosecuted while the networks that finance them escape scrutiny is the failure any credible national response must overcome.
