Ghana praised for fight against narcotic drugs

Germany, Feb. 24, GNA - The Ghanaian Government has been commended for its determination to intercept, arrest, prosecute and imprison narcotic drug dealers and traffickers, irrespective of their status. Miss Constance Ross, a Counter Narcotics Officer of the United States Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, said this at a briefing of Ghanaian journalists on Monday.

She said the strong political will of Ghanaian officials and a vibrant judiciary to the fight against drugs showed that the country was working against the consequences usually associated with "drug user communities". She said drug user communities, in which many individuals become addicted to drugs and its social consequences, including stealing, dependency and other anti-social acts, were difficult to manage. Ms Ross said Ghana was unlike many African countries whose governments lacked the political will to arrest its own officers and individuals who either trafficked or distributed drugs.

Ms. Ross, however, said the execution of offenders adopted by some countries had not solved the increasing distribution of the drugs by barons. She explained that the poor, unemployed and innocent victims are often induced with financial rewards to become couriers and the main architects of the distribution channels escape arrest and prosecution. "Imprisonment is more potent and serves as a deterrent for the drug barons and their agents" she added.

Ms. Ross suggested that African countries should intensify their education on the effects of drugs on the social, economic and political life of each country and the consequences for being a distributor or courier. She commended the Ghanaian media for reporting more on drug related cases in the courts and other sources.

Mr. Garnard W. Burnside II, West Africa and Gulf of Guinea Region Counter Narcotics-Terrorism and Law Enforcement Officer, said series of training programmes had been organised by the Strategy, Plans and Programmes Directorate of Africa Command for Ghanaian Police, Immigration and other institutions.

He said drugs were a threat not only to Ghana but the world as a whole and all efforts must be made to prevent its spread and use in any country.