The Member of Parliament for Atiwa East, Abena Osei-Asare, has questioned the effectiveness of Ghana’s anti-drug trafficking measures following a series of cocaine seizures in the country and abroad, calling for an independent parliamentary investigation.

The Minority MP, who chairs Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), said the repeated interceptions raised serious concerns about the government’s handling of drug trafficking investigations and the accountability of officials responsible for protecting the country’s borders.

In a Facebook post, Ms Osei-Asare cited several reported cocaine seizures at Pedu, Takoradi and Tema, as well as Ghana-linked consignments intercepted in Australia and Dunkirk.

She also drew attention to a recent cocaine seizure in Beirut, Lebanon, where Lebanese Customs reportedly intercepted 46.7 kilogrammes of the substance. NACOC, however, reported the quantity as approximately 40 kilogrammes in its account of the operation.

The Atiwa East MP questioned why Ghanaians were yet to receive comprehensive explanations about the repeated incidents and the progress of investigations into the shipments.

“How many more seizures before this government accepts that Ghana deserves answers?” she asked.

Her comments come amid renewed scrutiny of the country’s anti-narcotics operations following assurances by Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak that additional measures had been introduced to prevent drug trafficking through Ghana’s entry and exit points.

Speaking before the Public Accounts Committee on October 20, Mr Muntaka said airport screening had been strengthened, with additional checks introduced to identify and intercept illicit drug consignments.

However, Ms Osei-Asare questioned whether those measures were producing the desired results, particularly in light of the subsequent cocaine seizure in Beirut.

“On 20 October, the Interior Minister assured the Public Accounts Committee of stronger airport screening and additional checks against drug trafficking. So what happened here?” she queried.

She also raised concerns about NACOC’s explanation that the Beirut operation involved a controlled delivery, with investigations continuing to identify and arrest other suspected accomplices believed to be in Ghana.

According to her, the decision to publicise the operation while other suspects remained at large required further explanation.

“NACOC calls the arrest a ‘controlled delivery’, yet says it is still pursuing the accomplices in Ghana. Arrests need not be simultaneous. But why publicise the operation while those accomplices remain at large? Are we trying to catch them or warn them?” she asked.

Ms Osei-Asare further demanded answers about the identities of those behind the shipment, the individuals who financed it and the measures taken to track down suspected accomplices in Ghana.

She argued that the government must demonstrate accountability for the outcome of its anti-drug trafficking efforts rather than relying solely on assurances about improved coordination and enforcement.

“If the shipment was detected and deliberately allowed through, what arrangements were made to secure the people behind it in Ghana? The Mahama government cannot claim credit for coordination while avoiding scrutiny of the results. Who organised this shipment? Who financed it? What has become of the earlier investigations?” she added.

The MP maintained that a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry would help establish the circumstances surrounding the reported seizures, examine the effectiveness of existing anti-narcotics operations and determine whether state institutions had handled the investigations appropriately.