President John Mills is trumpeting his government’s efforts in the fight against illicit drugs trade in the country, assuring that the government will continue to make Ghana an unattractive destination for drug couriers in the country. He said the government has acquitted itself very well two years after declaring war on the drugs trade in the country. “We will not relent in our fight against the narcotic trade and I believe that majority of Ghanaians are happy that these days they don’t wake up to daily stories of cocaine here, cocaine there, cocaine everywhere,” the president stated during his third State of the Nation Address to Parliament on Thursday. The president said “in the wake of startling revelation of the unacceptable extent the country was used for drug activities”, he has ordered the reopening of investigation into the controversial 77 parcels of cocaine aboard the MV Benjamin which went missing on Ghana’s waters in May 2006 and for which no culprits has been found. However, the Georgina Wood-led Commission of enquiry instituted to investigate the missing cocaine, recommended two people- Issa Abass, Kwabena Amaning alias Tagor for prosecution, whilst the then Police Director of Police Operations, Kofi Boakye was recommended for interdiction pending further investigations. The two men were prosecuted and convicted and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by a High Court in 2007 but were later acquitted of the charges and discharged by the Court of Appeal in 2009 whilst Kofi Boakye was interdicted but later re-called into the Police Service. The president has further ordered fresh investigations into how cocaine exhibits due for investigations also went missing at the Police Headquarters in Accra. “I am aware that some investigations were conducted, however the twist is that the cocaine was never found and the culprits were not identified,” he stated. The president said it will be in the country’s ultimate interest to conduct thorough investigations into the cocaine “mysteries” in order to bring finality on the matter. On the country’s security, President Mills said he has directed the police to be on “red alert” to crush anybody who in pursuant of his or her personal ambitions will foment trouble. “I have sworn among other things to maintain the integrity of mother Ghana. Consequently, I have decided to put our security agencies on red alert and given them strict instructions to deal decisively within the ambit of the law any person or group of persons who decide to foment trouble or to disturb the peace and tranquillity that we enjoy in this country." The Presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo only recently in a controversial “all-die-be-die” statement charged his supporters to resist any form of intimidation, even to the point of death- a statement the ruling party's officials has described as inflammatory and a cry for chaos. “I will not sit idly by and allow any persons to cause panic or chaos in our situation for their personal ambitions,” the president warned. He said the “sad chapter” of the murders of women in 1999-2000 will not be closed until perpetrators are brought to book. According to him, the recent recruitment of some 3,000 police personnel will help fight armed robbery in the country, saying “armed robbery will no longer be operated with brazen bravado” in the country. The president touched on several other issues including the Single Spine Salary Structure, education and sports. His address was, as expected, punctuated with boos from the minority and shouts of praises from the majority. The minority however brought with them pieces of papers with the inscription “All-die-be-die” in what appears to be an acclamation of Nana Addo's statement that has been condemned by the majority. Play the attached audio for excerpts of the statement. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana