A leading member of the New Patriotic Party has lunged at the head of the Narcotic Control Board accusing him of being irresponsible. Nana Obiri Boahene minced no words in critiquing Mr Akrasi Sarpong, Executive Secretary of NACOB, who suggested in an interview that politicians facilitated the drugs trade in the country and used proceeds to fund electioneering campaigns in the country. The NACOB boss in an interview with Joy News’ Sammy Darko stated unequivocally that politicians are behind the drugs trade in the country. He stated that his outfit has intelligence, details of which he did not provide, which suggested that politicians had used monies accrued from cocaine business to run campaigns in the country. He said his outfit will be monitoring keenly the expenditure of political parties as the 2012 general elections beckon. Akrasi Sarpong warned he will deal ruthlessly with any politician; not withstanding the party the culprit belongs. But a former Minister of State at the Interior Ministry and who worked under ex-President John Kufuor, Nana Obiri Boahene said the statements by the NACOB boss are "unpalatable and irresponsible". In an interview with Joy News Dzifa Bampoh, the former Minister challenged Akrasi Sarpong to name, shame and arrest politicians who are culpable of dealing in the drugs trade instead of engaging in “distasteful, irresponsible” statements. According to him, the NACOB boss is engaging in petty political propaganda which is not in the interest of the country, assuring that if the NDC is out of power; Akrasi Sarpong will no longer be the NACOB boss. After the New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Nkoranza North Eric Amoateng was arrested and imprisoned in the US for attempting to smuggle cocaine, and the circumstances under which a cocaine exhibit got missing at the Police HQ in Accra under the administration of ex-president Kufuor, the NDC have persistently accused the NPP of lacking the political will to fight the cocaine menace in the country. Some have even accused top officials in the NPP of dealing in the drugs trade. But Nana Boahene said it is highly unfair for the NPP as a political party to be branded as cocaine dealers merely because one of its own has been arrested for the offence. Do we also accuse the entire NDC of being cocaine dealers just because Frank Benneh, a former Ambassador under the Rawlings regime was arrested and imprisoned for dealing in cocaine? he quizzed. He also dismissed assertions by the NACOB boss that politicians conduct elaborate campaigns because of the drugs money. But Nana Boahene argued some politicians can raise funds in a genuine and legal way to conduct a thorough campaign without the use of cocaine. The obviously incensed lawyer said people must begin to “wise up,” “grow up” and put an end to the increased politicization of the cocaine menace. But a security analyst at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Centre Dr. Kwesi Aning has described as needless the comments by the NPP member. He conceded though that the NACOB boss must provide evidence for his allegations but stressed that the cocaine business must be handled in a bi-partisan manner. Play the attached audio for excerpts of the interviews Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana