President John Dramani Mahama has called a high-level meeting with security, port, aviation and narcotics-control authorities to review Ghana’s border-security systems and strengthen efforts to prevent illicit drug trafficking.
The meeting will be held at the Jubilee House on Thursday, September 17, at 12:30 p.m.
According to the Office of the President, the meeting will focus on vulnerabilities at Ghana’s ports, airports and land borders, as well as intelligence sharing, cargo and passenger screening, inter-agency coordination and the use of technology to detect narcotics.
Participants are expected to “provide a brief assessment of existing security gaps and propose practical measures to improve intelligence sharing, surveillance, screening, and joint enforcement operations.”
The Presidency stressed the urgency of the meeting, stating, “Given the urgency and national-security implications, your personal attendance is required.”
The meeting comes days after French customs seized nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine worth about €225 million at the port of Dunkirk from a container of plastic waste shipped from Ghana.
The seizure has also resulted in arrests in Ghana, with the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) announcing the arrest of three suspects allegedly linked to Dutch fugitive Jos Leijdekkers.
Against this backdrop, the Presidency has called the meeting to strengthen coordination among agencies responsible for Ghana’s border security, intelligence, screening and narcotics enforcement.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
