Majority Calls for Stronger Inter-Agency Collaboration to Fight Drug Trafficking

The Majority in Parliament has called for stronger collaboration among security and law enforcement agencies to tackle the growing threat of drug trafficking networks operating in Ghana.

The Majority caucus said the increasing sophistication of the narcotics trade requires a coordinated national approach involving agencies responsible for border security, intelligence gathering, investigations, prosecution, port operations and asset recovery.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, September 24, Majority Leader James Agalga stressed that no single state institution has the capacity to dismantle the entire drug trafficking chain on its own.

He therefore called for increased intelligence sharing and joint operations among the relevant agencies to identify, investigate and disrupt organised narcotics networks.

According to Mr Agalga, Ghana’s response must move beyond isolated operations by individual institutions and focus on a coordinated strategy in which agencies share intelligence and complement each other’s efforts.

“The Majority caucus urges all security and law enforcement agencies, particularly the Narcotics Control Commission, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ports and Harbour Authority, and others, to increase cooperation and practice one front to combat the emergence of drug networks in our country,” he said.

He noted that activities ranging from profiling and screening to investigation, prosecution and asset recovery form interconnected parts of the fight against narcotics trafficking.

“This is no job for any single agency. The profiling and screening, investigation, prosecution and asset recovery are all critical elements in the chain and only when agencies are better coordinated, sharing intelligence and working together can Ghana really disrupt and dismantle networks that traffic narcotics,” Mr Agalga added.

The Majority Leader further called for sustained inter-agency cooperation, describing it as essential to Ghana’s efforts to combat the drug trade.

“The Majority caucus calls for continued and concerted inter agency corporation as the bedrock of the nation’s struggle against the drug menace,” he said.