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On July 8, 2025, the Deputy Director of Operations at the Office of the President, Mustapha Foyo Gbande, appeared on Accra-based Citi TV’s Face to Face programme.
The interview discussed how the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is steering the current governance landscape and outlined its strategies to address the country’s ongoing economic challenges.
Mr Gbande, who also serves as the Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, attributed the economic hardship to what he described as the mismanagement of the economy by the previous administration. He noted that despite inheriting a struggling economy, the current government, under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, has swiftly constituted its leadership and is making notable strides in governance.
On the issue of security, Mr Gbande claimed that the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), under President Akufo-Addo, did not make any arrests related to illicit drugs in the past eight years, a sharp contrast, he said, to the performance of the new government.
Fact-Check Ghana has verified this claim made by Mr Gbande and presents its findings below.
Claim: “Narcotic Control Board was occupied by Mr Torkornoo [Former Director-General of NACOC, Francis Torkornoo] for eight years, we couldn’t hear of any arrest of drugs.”
Verdict: False
Explanation: Fact-Check Ghana’s review of media reports showed that while there were no publicly reported major NACOC arrests during the first four years of President Akufo-Addo’s administration, several significant drug interdictions and arrests were recorded from 2021 through 2024 under the same government.
Here are some of the major bursts by NACOC in the years under review.
2021
On September 15, 2021, Kwadwo Fosu was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport after NACOC officials flagged him during profiling. He confessed to swallowing drug pellets intended for delivery to a contact in Spain in exchange for €2,000. Under observation, he expelled 68 pellets of which 28 contained cocaine with a purity of 36.9%, and 40 contained heroin with a purity of 20.2%.
He was later sentenced by an Accra High Court to 10 years in prison and fined GH₵120,000 for drug trafficking, with an additional three years if he fails to pay the fine. He pleaded guilty to charges of possessing narcotics, attempting to export them, conspiracy, and bribery.
His arrest led to the apprehension of his accomplice, Haruna Moro, who delivered GH₵6,000 as part of a bribe. Moro was also charged with conspiracy and is reportedly pursuing a plea deal.
2022
On December 1, 2022, NACOC seized 93,600 amphetamine tablets, disguised as coffee packets, at the Accra Central Post Office. The consignment, destined for the UAE, led to the arrest of suspects involved in the trafficking attempt.
2023
On December 25, 2023, NACOC, in collaboration with the Ghana Navy and Ghana Police, executed an intelligence-led operation at a rundown warehouse on the premises of the Ghana Highways Authority in Ada Foah.
Authorities seized 81 sacks of substances believed to be marijuana and arrested six individuals at the scene. The suspects and seized drugs were sent to NACOC’s headquarters in Accra for forensic analysis and legal processing.
2024
On June 10, 2024, NACOC and the UK’s National Crime Agency arrested two British nationals: Hall Ethline and Graham Adel at the Kotoka International Airport. The operation led to the seizure of 166.88 kg of cocaine hidden in checked luggage.
Based on the above, Mustapha Gbande’s claim that suggested that there were no drug-related arrests by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) during former President Akufo-Addo’s eight-year tenure is false. Documented cases from 2021 to 2024 clearly show active NACOC operations, resulting in high-profile arrests and seizures.
