Akufo-Addo took Ghana off drug blacklist, we must not go back - NPP

Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Haruna Mohammed, has cautioned the government against any actions that could return Ghana to the global drug trafficking watchlist, stressing the need to safeguard the country's hard-won international reputation.

Speaking on Channel One’s Newsroom on Wednesday, April 9, Haruna recalled that Ghana was successfully removed from the blacklist in 2021 under the leadership of then-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

“In 2021, Ghana was taken off the blacklist in terms of drug trafficking under the leadership of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,” he stated. “Are we risking going back there because we are not being sincere?” he queried.

His remarks follow growing concerns over suspicious flights at Kotoka International Airport, with Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee, Rev. Ntim Fordjour, suggesting potential links to drug trafficking and money laundering.

Haruna warned that failing to act with transparency and urgency could undo the gains achieved by the Akufo-Addo administration, adding that protecting Ghana’s image must be a national priority.

He also referenced recent calls by the United Nations for the government to support investigations into the issue, stressing that shielding individuals or institutions from scrutiny would be detrimental to the country’s credibility.