Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has urged the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to give President John Mahama room to deal with the country’s growing drug trafficking concerns rather than putting pressure on the government through public accusations.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Gbande said the fight against illicit drugs requires the involvement of all stakeholders and should not be reduced to political point-scoring.
His comments follow a press conference by NPP National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, who criticised President Mahama over the issue and raised concerns about the potential impact on Ghana’s international reputation.
He claimed that Ghanaian travellers and exporters were increasingly subjected to additional scrutiny at international airports because of concerns over narcotics trafficking.
However, Mr. Gbande, who doubles as the Deputy Director of Operations at the Presidency has emphasised the need for collective action to tackle the illicit trade.
He said if the NPP has evidence concerning the alleged involvement of individuals in drug trafficking, they should make it available to assist the President and security agencies.
“We must all get involved. If Nana B has evidence, he should bring it onboard instead of what he is doing because it will not increase NPP’s votes. The press conference was just noise. There was nothing substantial,” he urged.
He also questioned the NPP’s credibility to lead public discussions on drug trafficking, citing what he described as the party’s record during its eight years in government.
“We know the history and the record of the NPP. In their eight years of government, we know what they did. They should give us a break. NPP doesn’t have cleanliness or a reputation when it comes to drug trafficking,” he added.
Mr Gbande said the current administration should be allowed to handle the matter through the appropriate security and investigative processes without being pushed into making rushed decisions because of political pressure.
“They should give Mahama the opportunity to deal with the issue. There will not be a knee-jerk decision because there is pressure from the NPP. If you have evidence, make it available. Assist the president,” he said.
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