Soldiers must run NACOB to fight against drugs – Security Analyst

A Security Analyst has suggested that the entire staff of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) be replaced with Soldiers as part of his recommended “restructuring and reengineering” of the anti-drug agency to help it better fight narcotics trafficking.

Executive Director for Ghana Institute of Governance and Security, David Agbee told MORNING STARR host Kafui Dey on STARR 103.5FM Monday that Soldiers have more integrity than civilians, and are, therefore, less prone to corruption.

Agbee’s proposal comes on the heels of the arrest of three people at the Kotoka International Airport in connection with a 12.5-kg cocaine bust of a Ghanaian Lady with Austrian citizenship at Heathrow Airport on November 9/10 by UK authorities.

Among those arrested is an Assistant Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Abiel Ashitey Armah, who is in charge of the VVIP lounge at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA). The other two are Theophilus Kissi of the Research Department attached to the VVIP lounge and Abubakar Ahmed, whose office is yet to be known, according to the state-owned Daily Graphic newspaper.

Armah is reported to have given strict instructions to the two others to allow the arrested suspect, Nayele Ametefeh and two other ladies – yet to be identified – access to the VVIP lounge. He also instructed Kissi and Ahmed to accompany the three to the lounge.

Ametefeh, who is known by several aliases, has been on NACOB’s wanted list since 2009.

Ghanaian Authorities say she travelled on her Austrian passport. There had been earlier reports that she had a diplomatic passport on her. The Government of Ghana has, however, insisted she had just an ordinary Ghanaian passport on her.

President John Mahama dissolved the entire Board of NACOB over the weekend following claims by the UK High Commission that British authorities did not coorporate with NACOB, contrary to earlier claims to that effect by the Ghanaian anti-drug body.

Agbee, who has, in earlier interview, called for the resignation of NACOB’s Executive Secretary Akrasi Sarpong, now believes the entire office must be overhauled. He argued that Military Officers, who are less prone to corruption, must be made to take over NACOB as part of measures towards reducing complicity from officialdom in the trafficking of drugs through the Kotoka International Airport.