The Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Major General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, has expressed concern over what he describes as a growing trend of members of the public demanding financial rewards before providing intelligence on suspected drug-related activities.
Appearing before Parliament’s Assurances Committee on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, Major General Mantey said public intelligence remains one of the Commission’s most effective tools in combating narcotics trafficking, but some informants now expect monetary compensation before cooperating with security agencies.
His remarks come amid heightened attention on Ghana’s fight against drug trafficking following the interception in Australia of 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in a charcoal shipment originating from Ghana.
According to the NACOC Director-General, drug trafficking syndicates continue to develop sophisticated methods to evade law enforcement, making collaboration between the Commission and the public increasingly important.
“Each day, the traffickers evolve new strategies and try to go ahead of us. They connect, and they cooperate among themselves as to how to outwit us,” he said.
Major General Mantey noted that although intelligence from citizens has contributed significantly to successful anti-drug operations, the expectation of financial rewards is becoming a challenge.
“But as my minister said, we base most of our measures on intelligence. The only thing is that Ghanaians now have become a bit demanding, so when they send you intelligence, they demand money,” he stated.
He recounted an instance in which an individual requested a house in exchange for providing information on drug-related activities.
“There was a time somebody came to me and said, if I could build him a house, he would help me do a lot. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do that,” he revealed.
Despite the challenge, Major General Mantey assured the committee that NACOC remains committed to intelligence-led operations and will continue working with the public and other stakeholders to combat narcotics trafficking.
He stressed that sustained cooperation between citizens and security agencies is essential to preventing Ghana from becoming a transit hub for international drug trafficking.
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