DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF NACOC CALLS FOR STRENGTHENED COLLABORATION WITH THE GHANA ARMED FORCES

The Director General (D-G) of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Mr. Kenneth Adu-Amanfoh has emphasized the importance of bolstering cooperation with the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in the area of capacity building and joint operations.

Mr. Adu-Amanfoh acknowledged the successful drug interdictions made at both land and sea borders of the country through the existing strong collaboration between NACOC and GAF. He stressed the importance of this partnership in tackling the interconnection between illicit drug trafficking and other organized crimes such as arms and human trafficking, and terrorism, which pose a threat to national security.

Mr. Kenneth Adu-Amanfoh said this during a courtesy call on Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah at the Burma Camp in Accra, to congratulate him on his appointment as the Chief of the Defense Staff (CDS) of the Ghana Armed Forces, and on his subsequent promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General (Lt. Gen.) of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The Director-General of NACOC in his remarks informed the CDS of Ghana’s election by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to host and chair the 32nd Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (HONLEA), Africa scheduled for June 2024. That, the election of Ghana to host and chair the 32nd Meeting of HONLEA, Africa is in recognition of Ghana’s successes in the fight against illicit drug trafficking and substance abuse, coupled with the excellent policy reforms made, following the passage of the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019). He further mentioned that, Ghana has also been elected to chair the 67th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), which is the highest United Nations’ decision-making body on matters relating to narcotic drugs.

Lt. Gen. Oppong-Peprah commended Mr. Kenneth Adu-Amanfoh on the progress made by NACOC under his leadership. He attributed this success partly to the collaborative efforts of both organizations and emphasized the need to continue working together for greater successes. He reiterated that, with the mandates of NACOC covering both land border and seaport operations, as well as airport operation, it is imperative that both institutions continue to build their capacity through training and joint operations in the interest of the State. The CDS of GAF therefore assured the D-G of NACOC that, the existing support and collaboration between GAF and NACOC, established by his predecessors, would be further strengthened to ensure a safer Ghana for all.

 Lt. Gen. Oppong-Peprah also congratulated Mr. Adu-Amanfoh on Ghana’s election by UNODC to host and chair the 32nd Meeting of HONLEA, Africa, which is a testament of Ghana’s successes in the fight against the illicit drug trade.