Paul Awentami Afoko, an aspiring National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has spoken about a past incident in which he was accused of dealing in drugs and being imprisoned abroad during a vetting process within the party.

According to Afoko, he was accused of being a drug dealer during his vetting and was asked to stay at home while investigations were conducted until he was proven innocent.

He said the matter was subsequently referred to Interpol for investigation, after which he was eventually cleared of the allegations.

“And you see, those who tried to stop me at my vetting said I was a cocaine dealer abroad and that I had been jailed abroad. So, they said they wouldn’t pass me through the vetting and that I should go. I had to go and sit at home for six weeks.

“They took my details to Interpol to investigate me at their headquarters in Manchester.

“For six weeks, I was in the house, and after six weeks, they called me to continue with my campaign. So, I asked whether Interpol had responded. They said no, and that I should continue with my campaign and that when the report came, they would call me, “ he said.

Speaking in an interview on Akoma FM on August 6, 2026, Afoko said he had opened bank accounts for every constituency in the party at the time and donated GH¢10,000 to each account to support grassroots activities at the time, which fueled the speculations

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“I made every constituency in the party open bank accounts at the time, and I donated GH¢10,000 to every account because those people are the grassroots working for the party by going to funerals, outdooring ceremonies and other activities.
“…but I wasn’t convinced, so I went to the Interpol office at the Police Headquarters, at the CID headquarters on the fourth floor, where their office is located.

“I asked them about the report, but they said they had already given it to the party. So, they gave me the file and when I looked at it, Interpol had stated that Paul Afoko was clean. They said I was unknown to all prison institutions in the world, “he added.



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