Minority demands immediate suspension of Ghana-Colombia maritime deal over cocaine concerns

The Minority in Parliament is demanding the immediate suspension of Ghana’s maritime shipping and port cooperation agreement with Colombia, citing fresh national security concerns over cocaine trafficking. The demand comes amid renewed scrutiny of Ghana’s role in international drug trafficking and follows the Minority’s recent push for Parliament to investigate major narcotics seizures linked to the country. In a statement signed by the Ranking Member of Parliament for the Foreign Affairs Committee and Damongo MP, Samuel A.

Jinapor, the Minority said the developing bilateral relationship with Colombia required urgent security attention. The agreement is part of a broader relationship between the two countries. Earlier this year, Ghana and Colombia entered into a mutual visa-waiver arrangement and concluded a maritime trade agreement linking the Port of Tema to the Port of Cartagena.

The Minority argues that the arrangements require closer scrutiny because Colombia is identified in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s 2026 World Drug Report as the world’s leading departure country for cocaine shipments, with most of the trafficking conducted by sea. It also cited a JoyNews report which said Belgian authorities ranked Ghana as the fifth-largest country of origin for cocaine seized at the Port of Antwerp. The Minority said the combination of Ghana’s growing links with Colombia and recent large-scale cocaine seizures had created a national security concern that could not be ignored.

“At a time when multi-tonne consignments of cocaine linked to Ghana are repeatedly being intercepted, both within the country and abroad, and when the world’s principal cocaine departure country has established a visa-waiver and maritime connectivity arrangement with Ghana, prudence and good governance demand a comprehensive national-security assessment of that arrangement before it is permitted to remain in operation.” The latest demand follows the Minority’s earlier attempt to recall Parliament over what it described as urgent national security concerns arising from major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana. The caucus said the seizures raised questions about Ghana’s ports, borders, customs controls and anti-narcotics systems. Parliament was recalled on September 29, but Speaker Alban Bagbin ruled the Minority’s proposed motion for a parliamentary inquiry inadmissible, ci…

The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee is demanding the immediate suspension of Ghana’s maritime and port cooperation arrangement with Colombia over growing concerns about cocaine trafficking. The Caucus says the agreement poses a national security concern amid what it describes as a surge in large-scale cocaine seizures linked to Ghana. In a statement signed by the Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel A.

Jinapor, the Minority also wants the bilateral visa-waiver arrangement between Ghana and Colombia suspended. The Minority is further calling for the entire framework of the agreements to be subjected to a comprehensive security review before Parliament. The call comes after the Minority raised concerns over Ghana’s growing links to the international cocaine trade.