No gov’t, NDC member implicated in cocaine probe – Kwakye Ofosu

Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has rejected claims linking members of the government or the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to ongoing investigations into alleged cocaine trafficking through Ghana’s borders.

Speaking on the Channel One Newsroom on Thursday, September 17, 2026, Mr Kwakye Ofosu said no evidence had so far been presented to establish the involvement of any government official or NDC member in the investigations.

“You folks, as you speak, nobody has put forward any evidence of the involvement of any member of government or any member of the party,” he said.

“It is imperative that we avoid this kind of speculation and rumour-mongering when there’s no basis for it.”

His comments followed President John Dramani Mahama’s meeting with security chiefs over recent narcotics trafficking cases involving Ghana’s ports, including the interception in France of approximately 3.9 tonnes of suspected cocaine from a shipment that allegedly originated from Ghana.

The President has since directed the formation of an inter-agency task force to develop, within two weeks, a roadmap aimed at strengthening security systems and preventing drug trafficking through Ghana’s borders. Ten people, including four officers of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), were reported to be in custody as investigations continued.

Mr Kwakye Ofosu said none of the 10 people currently in custody in connection with the investigations is a member of government.

“None of the people in custody at the moment is a member of government,” he said.

He, however, stressed that political affiliation would not shield anyone from prosecution if evidence established their involvement in criminal activity.

“In any event, even if a high-ranking member of government or a member of the NDC was involved, it would mean that they have committed a crime against the state of Ghana, that they have violated Ghanaian law, and therefore they will be taken through the same processes that anybody else who violates Ghanaian law will be taken through,” he said.

He said the priority was to establish accountability for anyone found to have been involved and strengthen measures to prevent further trafficking of narcotics through Ghana’s borders.

Meanwhile, the Kwabenya Circuit Court in Accra has denied bail to six persons accused of being connected to the alleged export of nearly four tonnes of suspected cocaine from Ghana to France.

The six appeared before the court on Thursday, September 17, in connection with four 40-foot containers that allegedly left the Tema Port and were later intercepted in France with approximately 3.9 tonnes of substances suspected to be narcotic drugs.

The accused are Francis Narh Amanor, Frank Adu-Boahen, Togbe Agbeti, Andrews Tetteh Amponsah, Daniel Laryea and Helena Akua Denkyi. The court remanded them in custody and adjourned the case to September 24, 2026, as investigations continue.

Four of the accused are linked to the GRA and face allegations relating to their handling of the Customs scanning process at Tema Port.

According to the charge sheet, the four containers — SELU4549480, FFAU2242304, MSDU5642699 and SELU4809801 — were scanned before they were exported. Prosecutors allege that the scan images showed abnormalities that should have triggered further examination, but the containers were nevertheless cleared and allowed to leave Ghana.

The prosecution has also alleged that one of the Customs officials, Frank Adu-Boahen, provided his login credentials to other individuals to conduct scan-image analysis on his behalf, although he was expected to undertake the analysis himself.

Investigators are examining who reviewed the scan images, what abnormalities were identified, what action was taken and how the containers were ultimately allowed to leave the port.

The six accused face charges including conspiracy to export narcotic drugs, exportation of narcotic drugs without the required licence and, in the case of the four GRA officials, abetment of the exportation of narcotic drugs. These remain allegations before the court, and the accused are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The case has been adjourned to September 24, 2026.