Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey is the Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC).
Brigadier General Mantey is a distinguished senior officer of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) with over 30 years of exemplary service in military leadership, intelligence, and international peacekeeping.
President John Dramani Mahama appointed Gen. Mantey to bring “operational leadership, intelligence expertise and international security experience” to NACOC.
He is known for his discipline, strategic thinking, and expertise in civil-military cooperation, crisis management, and multinational operations. 088d
Career Journey and Transition to NACOC.
Gen. Mantey’s career has spanned command, staff, and international appointments both in Ghana and abroad:
Ghana Armed Forces:
He held pivotal roles, including Deputy Support Services Commander, Chief Coordinator at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), and was later promoted and appointed Deputy Commandant of the Support Services Command.
Presidency:
His last portfolio before NACOC was Military Adviser to the Chief of Staff at the Presidency of Ghana, where he provided expert guidance on operational, administrative, and security matters at the highest levels of government.
International Peacekeeping:
He served in several UN and regional missions, including UNIFIL in Lebanon, ECOMOG in Liberia, MINURSO in Western Sahara, and ONUCI in Côte d’Ivoire.
He also served as Force Chief of Operations with the United Nations-African Union Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).
NACOC:
He officially assumed the role of Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission with immediate effect. His appointment was described as ushering “a new era of operational effectiveness and international collaboration” for NACOC.
Leading the Fight:
Narcotics Busts and Strategy
Since taking office, Gen. Mantey has focused on modernizing NACOC’s response to evolving drug threats.
He has publicly warned that criminal networks are exploiting cyberspace to expand drug trade across borders, noting that “Ghana is experiencing a trend where these criminal networks are using cyberspace to trade in narcotics.”
Under his leadership, NACOC has emphasized intelligence-led operations, public education, and rehabilitation programs to prevent drug abuse and disrupt trafficking networks.
While specific bust figures are operational and often announced jointly with partner agencies, his tenure has prioritized targeting transnational syndicates, synthetic opioids, and New Psychoactive Substances (NPS).
Collaborations with Security Agencies:
Gen. Mantey has made inter-agency and international cooperation the cornerstone of his strategy.
NACOC works closely with key state institutions under the Ministry of the Interior’s Governing Board, including:
Ghana Police Service – CID
Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority
Ghana Immigration Service
Ghana Armed Forces
National Security Council Secretariat
Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO)
Financial Intelligence Centre.
At the international level, he has called for stronger regional and international cooperation to combat evolving threats.
Speaking at the Africa–South Asia Inter-Regional Workshop, he urged countries to strengthen partnerships through “timely exchange of intelligence, sharing of best practices, and coordinated enforcement operations” to dismantle transnational drug trafficking networks.
Vision:
Gen. Mantey’s mandate at NACOC is to strengthen the commission’s mission in combating drug-related crimes, promoting public safety, and advancing public education and rehabilitation.
With his background in global force management and operations, he is positioning NACOC to respond to both traditional trafficking routes and new digital threats.
As Director-General, Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey brings the discipline of the barracks and the strategy of international peacekeeping to Ghana’s frontlines against narcotics.
