Ghana is experiencing a significant increase in the domestic consumption and distribution of illegal narcotics. The head of Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, revealed this development.
This rising trend means Ghana is no longer solely a transit route for drugs. Instead, it is now dealing with a growing internal drug market. This situation requires urgent and coordinated action from national and regional partners. Trafficking methods are becoming more sophisticated, with increased use of sea routes and a rise in synthetic drugs. These drugs now pass through the country are being distributed and used locally.
This shift in drug activity mirrors broader regional challenges in West Africa. It also has implications for Ghana's public finances and security sector. In 2025, Ghana recorded a 197 per cent increase in drug-related arrests. Nearly 1,500 kilogrammes of narcotic substances were seized during that year. Operations were extended to 40 new district commands across all 16 regions of Ghana.
Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey stated this during a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria. He led a Ghanaian delegation to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). This agreement aims to deepen cooperation between the two agencies on matters of drug control. "The true value of this partnership will be defined not by what we sign, but by what we implement,” Brig Gen Mantey stated.
The partnership focuses on intelligence sharing, joint operations, and training for drug enforcement officials. It also covers action against the illicit production of psychotropic substances, precursor chemicals, and related money laundering activities. These steps aim to strengthen Ghana’s response to its internal drug problem and its impact on national security and public health.