Ntim Fordjour Rejects Claims NPP Government Removed NACOC From Port Inspections
Rev John Ntim Fordjour calls claims about NACOC removal mere propaganda, says inspections continued under NPP
Assin South MP Reverend John Ntim Fordjour has dismissed allegations that the previous New Patriotic Party government removed the Narcotics Control Commission from port inspection duties. He describes such claims as unfounded propaganda and insists they must be disregarded. Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, he rejected the narrative completely, stating it has no basis in fact.
Rev Fordjour explained that over the last two decades, importers and exporters have witnessed ongoing NACOC involvement in container inspections. He noted that prior to reforms, as many as sixteen agencies examined goods sequentially at ports, causing major delays and creating opportunities for corrupt practices. Paying extra fees became routine when containers stalled, he said.
To streamline operations, the previous administration reduced the number of agencies involved to three: the Food and Drugs Authority, Customs, and the Ghana Standards Authority. These now conduct mandatory inspections. NACOC, he clarified, functions primarily as an intelligence unit that assesses risk and relays findings to the inspection team before goods arrive.
Mr Fordjour challenged the logic behind the claim, questioning how Ghana could avoid major cocaine seizures and maintain a poor ranking in trafficking reports if NACOC had truly been removed. He suggested recent heightened surveillance is revealing the extent of drug trafficking issues. In his view, the claim misrepresents both the structure and effectiveness of current port management.
