The government has adjusted the invitation list for a high-level meeting on drug trafficking following concerns raised by Minority Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammi Awuku, over the absence of sector ministers from the earlier invitation.

Mr Awuku said the administration had made what he described as “the necessary adjustments and corrected the egregious error” in the original invitation.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, September 15, the Minority MP welcomed the development and said his earlier criticism was intended to promote accountability rather than attack the government.

“I am glad that this advocacy has yielded results,” he wrote. “This was never a personal attack on the Mahama Administration.”

His comments followed an earlier post in which he questioned why heads of several key state institutions had been invited to the meeting without the ministers responsible for their respective sectors.

Mr Awuku had specifically raised questions about the invitation of the heads of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Shippers Authority and Ghana Airports Company Limited, all of which fall under the Ministry of Transport, without the Transport Minister.

He also questioned the attendance of the Ghana Police Service and the Narcotics Control Commission, institutions under the Ministry of the Interior, without the Interior Minister.

Mr Awuku argued that the fight against drug trafficking requires the involvement of officials with direct political and institutional responsibility for the agencies expected to implement decisions reached at the meeting.

“The growing concern about Ghana being used as a transit point for illicit drugs is too serious for us to treat it as an optics exercise,” he said in his earlier post.

He also questioned how decisions from the meeting would be supervised if the ministers responsible for the agencies involved were not part of the discussions.

“After this meeting, who exactly is expected to supervise and drive the implementation of the decisions reached? Are we creating another layer of coordination when the Ministers who have direct responsibility for these institutions are not at the table?” he asked.

Following the reported adjustment, Mr Awuku said the development demonstrated the role of the Minority in scrutinising executive decisions and raising concerns where necessary.

He said the Minority’s responsibility includes ensuring that officials with direct responsibility are properly positioned to account to Parliament when required.

“The fight against drug trafficking and the protection of Ghana's reputation are matters that must transcend partisan politics,” he said.

Mr Awuku said the Minority would continue to raise concerns where it believes government action requires attention, while also acknowledging corrective measures when they are taken.

“We will continue to speak up when we believe something needs to be addressed and equally, when the necessary action is taken, we must acknowledge it. That is constructive accountability and ultimately, it is in Ghana's interest.”

The development comes amid growing concern over Ghana’s vulnerability to being used as a transit point for illicit drugs and the need for effective coordination among the agencies responsible for preventing and combating drug trafficking.

The institutions referenced by Mr Awuku operate under two key ministries, Transport and the Interior — whose ministers have direct oversight responsibilities and are accountable to Parliament for their respective sectors.

Further details are expected as the high-level meeting takes place and decisions on the next steps in Ghana’s fight against drug trafficking emerge.