The Ministry of the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, says it has recovered 73 assets linked to drug trafficking as part of intensified efforts to combat organised crime and strengthen Ghana's anti-narcotics operations.

The Minister said the achievement follows improvements in logistics for law enforcement agencies and the establishment of a dedicated court to handle narcotics-related offences.

Speaking during Vice-President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang's working visit to the ministry, the minister said the interventions have strengthened the ability of security agencies to investigate drug-related crimes and ensure offenders face justice.

He said the government's anti-narcotics strategy is beginning to yield results, with the recovery of assets believed to be connected to illegal drug activities.

The minister also outlined reforms aimed at transforming Ghana's correctional system, saying the recently passed Community Service Act and the soon-to-be-finalised parole regulations will help reduce overcrowding in prisons while supporting the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders.

According to him, the Community Service Act marks a major milestone after decades of attempts to introduce the legislation.

"The Community Service Bill has been passed into an Act and is waiting for assent," Mr Mohammed-Mubarak said.

"You know the importance of this community service. It's something that this country has been struggling with for the past 34 years since we came into constitutional rule in 1992. By the grace of God, now it has been passed into an Act."

He said Parliament is also close to completing work on the parole regulations.

"We've also been able to get the parole regulation in Parliament. It's now counting days. We are very sure that in the next few days the process will be completed," he said.

The minister expressed confidence that the two reforms would significantly improve Ghana's correctional system.

"The Community Service Act, together with the parole regulation, is what we hope is going to transform our correctional services drastically because it's going to help reduce congestion in our prisons and help inmates improve their lot," he said.

Mr Mohammed-Mubarak also highlighted the passage of the Public Holidays (Amendment) Act, saying it allows selected public holidays to be observed on Mondays or Fridays where appropriate.

He said the measure is expected to support tourism and the entertainment industry by creating longer weekends.

During the visit, Vice-President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang urged security institutions to strengthen public confidence by carrying out their duties professionally, transparently and in accordance with the rule of law.

She said effective policing and law enforcement depend on the trust and cooperation of the public.

"One of the major issues has to do with public trust. The public must have faith in us," she said.

"They must have so much faith in us that they want to collaborate with us because they believe in what we are doing and that, in the end, it's about their own safety."

The Vice-President said that public perception of security institutions is important, even where those perceptions may not always reflect reality.

"The perceptions are important. They may not even have any basis in objective reality, but they are important," she said.

She urged officers to remain approachable and ensure the public understands the reasons behind their actions.

"We must be friendly. We must put ourselves out there for them to know that it is for their benefit that we exist," the Vice President said.

"We don't exploit people. We don't intimidate people unnecessarily, but we explain the basis of our actions so that those of us who fall outside the regulations will know that we deserve some kind of treatment," she added.