Catholic Bishops back NPP over parliamentary recall to probe Ghana’s response to drug trafficking

The Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference has expressed support for calls to recall Parliament from recess to examine Ghana’s handling of narcotics trafficking and the country’s border security measures.

The support follows a petition by the Minority in Parliament to the Speaker seeking an early recall of the House to investigate the circumstances surrounding a 3.9-tonne cocaine shipment linked to Ghana.

In a statement issued on Monday, September 21, the Bishops described parliamentary oversight of the matter as “legitimate and necessary”, stressing that the proposed sitting should not be delayed.

The Conference, however, urged Parliament to handle the proceedings with the seriousness required by the national security implications of the issue and avoid turning the exercise into a partisan contest.

“We urge that any sitting proceed without delay, with the sobriety proper to a matter of this gravity rather than partisan point-scoring, and that every institution cooperate fully and transparently,” the statement said.

The Bishops said the Ministers responsible for the Interior, Transport and National Security, as well as the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Immigration Service and National Intelligence Bureau, should account for the effectiveness of measures used to secure the country’s entry points.

The call comes as President John Dramani Mahama has directed the security agencies to develop a blueprint to improve collaboration among the various institutions and strengthen the country’s response to drug trafficking and other related security threats.