GoldBod Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, has welcomed President John Dramani Mahama’s reported directive to restore the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to Ghana’s list of Port Inspection Agencies following a recent drug trafficking incident linked to one of the country’s ports.

Mr Gyamfi said the development was a matter of concern to patriotic Ghanaians, arguing that the incident raised questions about the effectiveness of monitoring and inspection systems at Ghana’s ports.

“Clearly, these incidents could have only been occasioned by weak monitoring and inspection systems at our ports,” he said.

According to him, NACOC, which is mandated to monitor, regulate, enforce and control narcotics trafficking, was removed from the list of Port Inspection Agencies by the government in June 2018.

“While it is unclear what may have informed that decision in 2018, it is evident that the said decision weakened NACOC’s port inspection function,” Mr Gyamfi said.

He said the reported decision by President Mahama to restore NACOC to the inspection regime was a welcome development. “It is therefore refreshing to learn that President Mahama has directed that effective immediately, NACOC be restored to the list of Port Inspection Agencies and granted unfettered access to all entry and exit points; by air, land and sea,” he stated.

Mr Gyamfi also said he understood that the President had directed that all scanners and personnel at Ghana’s ports be changed with immediate effect.

“I believe that these measures, if implemented effectively, will strengthen checks and control at our ports to forestall the reccurrence of these unfortunate incidents,” he added.