Accra: Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), has issued a stern warning to drug dealers, asserting that Ghana will not be allowed to become a sanctuary for illicit drug operations. He emphasized the need for law enforcement and policy makers to adapt aggressively to the evolving global drug trade, which presents both enduring and new threats at a rapidly increasing pace.
According to Ghana News Agency, Brigadier General Mantey spoke during the International Day Against Drug Abuse And Illicit Trafficking (World Drug Day) 2026 in Accra, under the theme, 'The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses.' He cited the 2025 World Drug Report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which indicated that approximately 316 million people worldwide used illicit drugs in 2023, with the illegal drug economy generating hundreds of billions of dollars annually. He highlighted that West Africa, and Ghana specifically, are heavily involved in global trafficking routes, with up to 30 percent of Europe's cocaine potentially transiting through the region.
The Director-General also pointed out a concerning shift in Ghana's role in the drug trade, noting its transition from merely a transit hub to a consumption and distribution market. He described evolving trafficking methods, such as concealing methamphetamine in charcoal bags and utilizing encrypted digital platforms by criminal networks.
Brigadier General Mantey attributed recent operational successes to increased government backing under President John Dramani Mahama's administration, which included significant investments in NACOC's capabilities. He revealed ongoing collaborations between the Government of Ghana and the Kingdom of the Netherlands to install modern drug detection scanners at Accra International Airport, expected to be operational by August 2026. Moreover, a new Drug Forensic Laboratory is under development to enhance the scientific analysis of controlled substances and improve prosecution outcomes.
The Director-General raised concerns over mandatory drug screenings of applicants to Ghana's security services, finding that over 6,000 candidates, approximately 7 percent, tested positive for substances such as cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, and opioids. He urged the implementation of permanent drug screening in all security recruitment processes as part of a systematic response.
Between 2025 and April 2026, NACOC recorded 217 arrests, 165 prosecutions, and the seizure of more than 8.5 tonnes of narcotic drugs, in addition to intercepting 45.4 million tramadol tablets. In 2025, 1,179 individuals received treatment and counseling across 30 centers nationwide, primarily for issues related to cannabis, cocaine, opioids, and alcohol, with 85 percent of clients aged between 20 and 44. Despite these efforts, he noted the inadequacy of treatment infrastructure and called for more rehabilitation centers and stronger community-based care systems.
He emphasized the lack of a national drug prevalence baseline survey as a significant policy gap that hampers effective planning and response. Plans are underway, in partnership with UNODC and national research institutions, to conduct Ghana's first comprehensive drug prevalence survey by 2027, alongside establishing a national early warning system for synthetic drugs.
Concluding his address, Brigadier General Mantey warned drug traffickers of imminent action against their operations and called for national unity in combating narcotics, stressing that Ghana's future "is not negotiable."