They should have Ghana first – Ntim Fordjour warns MPs against politicising drug crisis

The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Rev Ntim Fordjour, has warned MPs against allowing partisan politics to overshadow Ghana’s growing drug trafficking crisis.

The Assin South MP says Parliament’s response must be driven by the national interest as the country faces a series of major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana.

“They should come and not make it politics. They should have Ghana first, constituency first,” he said on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday.

His comments come amid growing concern over Ghana’s links to major international drug seizures.

French customs intercepted nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at Dunkirk on September 10. The consignment, concealed in a container of plastic waste, had arrived from Ghana.

Four Ghanaians have since been arraigned before the Accra High Court. A fifth suspect, Dutch national Jos Leijdekkers, remains at large.

The latest seizure has added to a series of narcotics cases linked to Ghana.

More than 40 MPs have cited seizures linked to Ghana, worth more than US$1 billion, over the past two years in their petition to recall Parliament.

The Minority has invoked Article 112(3) of the Constitution and the relevant Standing Orders to demand an emergency parliamentary sitting.

Fordjour said MPs must approach the issue as a national security matter.

“All these drugs when they come in, not all go out. A lot will be retained here. It’s your children, your youth, and then people who will be consumed and be destroyed by it,” he said.

He also warned of wider security implications, linking drug trafficking to money laundering and terrorism.

“And the latter implication, security implication here is that, and like I pointed out, wherever there is drugs, there is money laundering, and wherever there is money laundering, it is linked to terrorism,” he said.

Fordjour said Parliament has already secured more than the required 15 per cent of MPs’ signatures for a recall.

He said the petition, signatures and memorandum were filed last week and the Speaker has acknowledged receipt.

The proposed recall would allow Parliament to constitute a bipartisan committee to conduct a full inquiry.

“We are interested in solutions that restore Ghana to its glory,” Fordjour said.

He also criticised the government’s handling of the crisis and called for stronger leadership.

“So, we need strong leadership, and we need President Mahama on his return from UNGA to act decisively, and to act as a leader who is fully aware of the repercussions of this cartel,” he said.

His call comes shortly after the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference urged a coordinated national response to the drug menace. The Conference has also called for stronger investigations into the networks behind major drug shipments linked to Ghana.

Fordjour said the parliamentary inquiry should focus on finding solutions rather than deepening political divisions.

“When your MPs are coming, if indeed you did not send them to come to Parliament to endorse drug shipment and drug trafficking, then in your interest, in the interest of the constituency and the larger interest, the grand interest of Ghana, they should come and not make it politics,” he said.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.