Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has called for a united national response to Ghana’s growing drug trafficking concerns, warning political parties against turning the issue into a partisan contest.
His comments follow a press conference by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), where the party raised concerns over recent cocaine seizures linked to Ghana and called for investigations and accountability.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Gbande said the issue should concern every Ghanaian because the consequences of drug trafficking could extend beyond the individuals directly involved.
He questioned the value of the NPP’s press conference, arguing that political actors who claim to have information on the trade should provide concrete evidence to the relevant authorities.
“The press conference was a no-no,” he said, adding that he expected the NPP to provide evidence or identify persons allegedly involved if it wanted to contribute meaningfully to the fight.
According to him, making allegations without supporting evidence does little to help the security agencies uncover the networks behind the illicit trade.
Mr Gbande stressed that cocaine trafficking does not belong to any political party and should therefore not be treated as an NPP or NDC issue.
“Cocaine doesn’t know NPP or NDC,” he said.
He warned that Ghana’s reputation could suffer if the country becomes associated with international drug trafficking, potentially affecting ordinary citizens travelling abroad.
“If someone is travelling and suffers some inhumane treatment because of this issue we have brought upon ourselves,” he said, stressing that the potential consequences would be felt by Ghanaians irrespective of their political affiliations.
Mr Gbande therefore urged the NPP and NDC to put political differences aside and work towards a common response to the illicit drug trade.
He argued that attributing the recent drug cases solely to the current administration could further politicise a problem that requires a broader national response.
“We should be coming together to deal with this issue. Because if we make the claim that it is under Mahama we’re seeing this, it affects all of us,” he said.
Mr Gbande maintained that political parties should instead present any credible intelligence they have to the appropriate security agencies to support ongoing investigations.
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