Omanghana
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammi Awuku, has raised concerns over the exclusion of key sector ministers from a high-level meeting convened by President John Dramani Mahama to review Ghana’s border-control systems and response to narcotics trafficking.
President Mahama is expected to meet representatives of major security, aviation and port institutions at Jubilee House on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
The meeting follows the interception of nearly 3.9 tones of cocaine by French customs authorities from a container reportedly shipped from Ghana. The seizure has renewed concerns about the country’s possible use as a transit point for international drug trafficking.
Reacting to the planned meeting in a Facebook post on Monday, September 14, Awuku questioned why the heads of institutions responsible for Ghana’s ports, airports, borders and anti-narcotics operations had been invited without the ministers who exercise political and administrative oversight over them.
He specifically cited the expected participation of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Shippers’ Authority and Ghana Airports Company Limited, all of which operate under the Ministry of Transport.
Awuku asked why the heads of those institutions would attend such an important meeting without the Minister for Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe.
He raised a similar concern about the Ghana Police Service and the Narcotics Control Commission, noting that both institutions fall under the Ministry of the Interior.
According to the New Patriotic Party legislator, the exclusion of Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak creates questions about who will provide the necessary political oversight and ensure that decisions taken at the meeting are implemented.
Awuku maintained that the growing concern over Ghana’s alleged use as a transit route for illicit drugs required a coordinated and comprehensive response rather than what he described as an “optics exercise.”
“After this meeting, who exactly is expected to supervise and drive the implementation of the decisions reached?” he asked.
The Akuapem North MP also cautioned against creating an additional layer of coordination when existing ministries already have responsibility for supervising the institutions involved.
He urged the President to ensure that any government response establishes clear lines of authority and accountability. In his view, the supervising ministers should be directly involved in both the discussions and the implementation of measures adopted at the meeting.
Awuku’s comments add to growing calls for Ghana to strengthen cooperation among its security agencies, port authorities, aviation institutions and international partners to prevent the country from becoming a major transit hub for narcotics.
Source: Omanghana
