Lawyer Banson warns Ghana risks becoming a drug trafficking hub — MyJoyOnline

In Ghana, lawyer and Ghana School of Law lecturer in Makola Bobby Banson said the country risks gaining a reputation as a drug trafficking hub if concerns over drugs are not urgently addressed. In his view, this could damage the state's international reputation and lead to more thorough checks of Ghanaian citizens when travelling abroad.

Banson said this on the Newsfile programme on JoyNews, MyJoyOnline reports. His comments followed recent drug-related operations and renewed calls to strengthen efforts against illicit drug trafficking and drug detection systems.

Concerns over trust

Banson called the situation a “national disgrace”. He referred to reports that France had expressed concerns about the level of trust in Ghana regarding information sharing. According to the lawyer, such mistrust could affect the position of Ghanaian citizens abroad.

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He cited his own travel experiences from certain African countries to Europe, when passengers faced enhanced security measures due to suspicions that drugs could be transported on flights from those states. According to him, service dogs may be involved in such checks. Banson warned that if the reputation continues to deteriorate, a similar approach could also be applied to flights from Ghana.

Call not to politicise the problem

The lawyer also called on political figures not to turn the fight against drug trafficking into partisan confrontation. He stressed that foreign authorities would not distinguish travellers by affiliation with the New Patriotic Party or the National Democratic Congress, but would see them as holders of Ghanaian passports.

Banson called for responding to the threat with national interests in mind and avoiding damage to the country’s reputation.