Afenyo-Markin calls on Mahama to account for Ghana’s border security failures

The Minority in Parliament has called on President John Dramani Mahama to take responsibility for what it describes as failures in Ghana’s border security, warning that repeated international narcotics seizures linked to the country are damaging its reputation.

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said the government must investigate possible institutional and supervisory lapses within the country’s security system, arguing that ongoing criminal proceedings should not prevent administrative accountability.

Speaking at a press briefing ahead of Parliament’s resumption on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the Effutu MP said the President had a responsibility to ensure Ghana’s borders were adequately secured and to account for the performance of institutions mandated to protect them.

“An arrest is not a conviction. Equally, a pending criminal trial does not suspend administrative accountability as explained supra. The government can investigate supervisory failures and take lawful disciplinary action without prejudicing anyone’s guilt.

“Our president has a responsibility for securing Ghana’s borders, and he must answer for its poor performance so far,” he said.

Mr Afenyo-Markin acknowledged that drug trafficking was not a new phenomenon in Ghana, but insisted that previous incidents could not be used to justify current security challenges.

“Ghana was not completely free of drug smuggling under previous governments, and we concede. We make no such claim, but the history offers no excuse for present failures.

“The Ghana handed over to this administration came with the duty to protect its institutions, its people, and its international standing,” he said.

The Minority Leader said a series of major narcotics seizures involving consignments reportedly linked to Ghana had raised questions about the effectiveness of the country’s border protection systems.

He cited the interception of approximately 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Dunkirk in France on September 7, 2026.

The cocaine, estimated to be worth €225 million, was reportedly concealed in a consignment of plastic waste shipped from Ghana.

Mr Afenyo-Markin also referenced seizures in Amsterdam, Antwerp and Sydney, as well as suspected cocaine interceptions within Ghana, including incidents in the Tema Harbour enclave and at Pedu Junction.

According to him, the incidents highlight concerns about port security, cargo inspection procedures, customs controls and intelligence coordination.

“These developments raise serious concerns about the effectiveness of our port security arrangements, cargo inspection procedures, customs controls, intelligence coordination, and the broader institutional framework for combating transnational organised crime,” he said.

He warned that the implications of the seizures extended beyond individual drug interceptions and criminal investigations, potentially affecting Ghana’s national security and international credibility.

“The implications extend beyond the individual seizures. They concern the integrity of our national security arrangements, the credibility of our international trade systems, and Ghana’s reputation in the global fight against narcotic trafficking,” he said.

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