'We shall hold govt feet to the fire of accountability' — Anyidoho on €225m cocaine seizure

Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Koku Anyidoho, has raised concerns about Ghana’s security and port monitoring systems following the seizure of about 3.9 tonnes of cocaine linked to a shipment from Ghana.

French customs officials intercepted the consignment at the Port of Dunkirk on September 10, 2026. The cocaine, reportedly valued at about €225 million, was concealed in a container carrying plastic waste that originated from Ghana.

Mr Anyidoho said the quantity of narcotics involved raised questions about how such a shipment could have moved through Ghana without the involvement of multiple people.

“It means that there is a chain. It can't be one person. There is a chain,” he said.

He therefore urged investigators to look beyond individuals who may have physically handled the drugs and establish the identities of those who allegedly organised and facilitated the shipment.

Mr Anyidoho said authorities should not focus only on what he described as the “low-hanging fruits”, but should pursue those who may have been behind the operation.

Drawing on his personal experience at an airport, he also questioned whether Ghana’s systems for monitoring cargo were sufficiently effective. He recalled that a power bank in his luggage had been detected during routine screening and wondered how a shipment containing nearly four tonnes of cocaine could leave Ghana concealed inside a container.

The seizure, he said, could have wider implications for Ghana’s international reputation, particularly amid reports that French authorities had withheld intelligence-sharing with Ghana over concerns about trust.

Mr Anyidoho described the development as an embarrassment to the country and warned that its consequences could extend beyond the ongoing drug investigation.

He also questioned some of Ghana’s recent international arrangements, including an agreement announced by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on March 23, 2026, to establish a connection between the Port of Tema and Colombia’s Port of Cartagena.

Mr Anyidoho questioned the rationale for the arrangement and what goods or commercial interests would make the connection necessary.

He further raised concerns about visa-free arrangements between Ghana and other countries, asking whether such policies could potentially be exploited by criminal networks. He stressed the need for authorities to remain vigilant about cross-border movement and illicit activities.

Reflecting on Ghana’s political history, Mr Anyidoho acknowledged that the cocaine trade had previously featured prominently in partisan political discourse.

He recalled his role in the NDC’s campaign during the 2006–2008 period, when the party described the then Kufuor administration as having turned Ghana into a “cocaine coast”.

Although he acknowledged that the campaign strategy was politically effective, he expressed disappointment that a major cocaine-related controversy had now emerged under an NDC administration.

Mr Anyidoho said the matter should not be reduced to partisan politics because Ghana’s international reputation was at stake.

“This is about Ghana,” he said, stressing the seriousness of situations in which the country’s name is associated with major international drug seizures.

He pledged to continue demanding accountability from institutions responsible for Ghana’s security and governance systems.

Mr Anyidoho said investigations should not end with individuals at the lower levels of an alleged trafficking network, but should determine whether senior individuals facilitated or enabled the shipment.

“When it comes to the governance process, we shall hold their feet to the fire of accountability,” he said.