Ghana must target drug barons, not just street peddlers — Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has called for a shift in Ghana’s anti-drug strategy, urging security agencies to focus on dismantling major drug networks rather than concentrating primarily on street-level peddlers.
Speaking on recent operations by the IGP’s special task force, as part of Resetting Ghana tour engagement in Tamale, the President acknowledged the progress made through initiatives such as Operation Black Maria, which have led to the arrest of several drug offenders. However, he stressed that many of those apprehended are merely intermediaries and not the key figures driving the drug trade.
“A lot of those arrested are not the actual drug barons,” he noted. “They are young people used to distribute drugs, while the real masterminds remain behind the scenes.”
Mahama revealed that authorities have intensified surveillance and enforcement at Ghana’s ports, leading to the interception and destruction of significant quantities of illicit drugs, including tramadol. He warned that without these interventions, such substances would have flooded communities and worsened the country’s drug crisis.
Despite these gains, the President raised concerns about smuggling routes through neighboring countries. He explained that traffickers are increasingly bypassing official entry points by using unapproved roads and motorbikes to move drugs into Ghana.
To strengthen the fight, Mahama called for enhanced support for local task forces, emphasizing community-based enforcement. He pointed to ongoing efforts in areas such as Lamashegu and Sagnarigu, where task forces have adopted a zero-tolerance approach to drug activities within their jurisdictions.
“We must find a roadmap that empowers these task forces to ensure their communities are free from drugs,” he said.
