The Ranking Member for Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee has called for an independent inquiry into the disappearance of suspected cocaine seized at the Customs Post at Kpoglu in the Volta Region.
James Agalga, the Builsa North Member of Parliament, said the investigation would answer budding questions about the state of collaboration between the Narcotic Control Commission and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, which are in a battle of counterclaims.
“I think that it is appropriate that an independent committee of inquiry looks into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the 100g of whitish substance suspected to be cocaine,” he said.
The committee, he said need not be a bi-partisan committee of Parliament but rather experts.
“It is very disturbing that two agencies of state, security agencies, will be at each other’s throat because of a matter like this.
“They are supposed to be collaborating with one another in protecting our country from drug trafficking and other related crimes.
“So when you hear the Narcotic Control Commission accusing the customs and the customs comes out and contradict the Narcotic control commission, it means there is a problem with the management of our security,” he said of the incident which rakes memories of similar incidents in 2006 and 2008.
The substance suspected to be high-value cocaine intercepted at the Kpoglu Border Post in the Ketu South Municipality in the Volta Region went missing on June 12.
The weight of what is missing is said to be 100.10 grammes, according to the Narcotics Control Commission.
The two-state agencies have since been in a turf war over who had the right to hold the substance, which reportedly disappeared in Customs custody.
Although the two institutions had stated that they were looking into the matter, the MP had doubts.
Precedents
Falling on precedents to justify his call, he pointed to the Georgina Wood Presidential inquiry established by President Kufuor to unravel the circumstances leading to the disappearance of 77 parcels of substances suspected to be cocaine on M.V. Benjamin, a vessel.
Similarly, in 2008, the cocaine- turned-baking sosa was also investigated by the Kojo Armah Committee to find the circumstances that led to the swapping of the substance meant for evidence in a trial.
The National Democratic Congress MP said that investigation had produced reforms.
“If you go to the CID headquarters today, a lot has changed. The only way to resolve the impasse between the two agencies of state is an independent inquiry into the happenings at Aflao because there are so many nagging questions,” he said.
Intelligence failure
With the government closing the country’s borders to all traffic except commercial ones, he wondered how the Toyota Landcruiser managed to cross into the country.
“First of all, our borders are supposed to be closed. How did that vehicle cross our borders in the first place? It is a very serious issue that should engage the attention of all of us.
The border was reportedly opened to the Landcruiser because it was carrying spare parts that were considered goods, as the country’s border movement restrictions granted exemptions to vehicles carrying goods.
The two-term MP blamed the situation on intelligence failure.
“It means there was some intelligence failure there or what. You need to know. I am aware our security agencies collaborate with their counterparts across the borders so where did this vehicle come from, what are the circumstances
While the two institutions insist that the arrest was made based on intelligence, he wondered why the two intuitions were at each other’s throat.
“They are supposed to be working in unison to protect our country against drug trafficking. Why are they fighting? Why did they not collaborate? We all know everything that has got to do with narcotics should be handled by the Narcotic control commission. Why were they [customs] hesitant submitting what they suspect to be narcotics to enable the commission commence investigations?
“At the end of it, we are told that the Customs did not want the Narcotic Control Commission to take custody of substance because they needed clearance from Accra. What type of clearance. These are questions that beg for answers.
