Minority urges immediate halt of Ghana-Colombia maritime pact over cocaine fears

The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has called for the instant cessation of Ghana’s maritime and port cooperation framework with Colombia. The request follows mounting fears that the agreement facilitates a surge in cocaine shipments linked to the West African nation. Samuel A. Jinapor, the Ranking Member of the committee, signed the petition which also seeks to scrap the bilateral visa-waiver deal between Accra and Bogotá. The party insists the entire cooperation model be subject to a full security audit before any future operation. Officials point to data showing Colombia as the top global source of cocaine departures, with sea routes handling the bulk of the flow. A United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report released in June 2026 names Colombia as the principal departure nation for cocaine, the party notes. Additionally, Belgian customs have placed Ghana as the fifth-largest source of cocaine intercepted at Antwerp, according to JoyNews. Ghana stands as the sole African state and the only non‑American country among the top five, a fact that has heightened alarm. Recent interdiction operations have uncovered multi‑tonne cocaine hauls tied to Ghana, prompting questions about port integrity and national reputation. “Prudence and good governance call for a thorough national‑security appraisal of such arrangements before continuation,” the caucus statement asserted. The group therefore urges the government to immediately halt the visa‑waiver scheme and pause all maritime cooperation activities. Moreover, it requests that Parliament examine the entire pact for potential security breaches. This push aligns with the Minority’s broader effort to recall Parliament and address concerns that Ghana may be slipping into a drug‑transit hotspot. The party stresses that ports must serve legitimate trade, not become conduits for criminal networks. “The safety of our borders, the credibility of our institutions and the standing of our republic must be placed above all else,” the communiqué emphasized. The Minority vows to persist in demanding accountability and safeguarding the nation’s security, institutions and interests.