Ghana Roundup: $2.1M cocaine bust, foreign aid debate, police leadership overhaul
$2.1M cocaine, heroin bust
Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has arrested 56-year-old Nigerian national, Uchechukwu Chima, in an intelligence-led operation at Oyarifa, Accra. The operation carried out on March 18, 2025, uncovered 192kg of cocaine and 0.42kg of heroin, with a combined street value of $2.1 million, Graphic Online reports. According to NACOC, Chima has been under surveillance for some time and is suspected to be linked to previous drug trafficking cases in Ghana. A statement signed by Francis Opoku Amoah, Acting Director of Public Affairs and International Relations, confirmed that the suspect is in custody as investigations continue. “NACOC, through this seizure, has removed a substantial quantity of drugs from circulation, preventing countless lives from being ruined by drug abuse,” the commission stated.
Vice President challenges perception of foreign aid
Ghana’s Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has pushed back against the global perception that foreign aid to Africa is a mere act of charity, stating that the continent loses more wealth than it receives. Speaking at Jubilee House to students from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on March 17, 2025, she responded to a question regarding foreign aid and US President Donald Trump’s remarks about cutting assistance to Africa. “They think it’s just charity. It is not. If even a fraction of what is taken from our continent remained, we wouldn’t have issues with unemployment, sanitation, or many other challenges,” Graphic Online quotes. She cited Niger’s renegotiation of mineral contracts, which increased national revenue from $1 billion to over $10 billion in a year, as an example of Africa asserting economic control.
Police leadership overhaul
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has announced a major reshuffling of the Ghana Police Service leadership. Among the key changes, COP/Mrs. Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah, Director-General/R&P, and COP/Mr. Paul Manly Awini, Service Workshop, Accra, have been appointed to the newly restructured 31-member Police Management Board, Citinewsroom reports. A statement signed by Grace Ansah-Akrofi, Assistant Commissioner of Police, and Director, of Public Affairs, noted that the restructuring aims to ensure effective management and operational efficiency within the Police Service.
Forest reserve reclaim
The Ghanaian government has successfully reclaimed seven of nine forest reserves that were overrun by illegal miners, according to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah. During a press briefing in Accra, the minister praised the efforts of a joint security task force—comprising the military, police, and Forestry Commission’s rapid response team—in reclaiming the forests. “With the cooperation of the security agencies and the military, we have taken back seven of these nine forests, and we are working very hard to ensure that the remaining two are fully reclaimed,” Graphic Online quotes him. The minister called for continued public cooperation to protect Ghana’s forests and ensure sustainable mining practices.
Ghana’s 4% GDP growth target
A new economic review by Deloitte has described the government’s 4% real GDP growth target for 2025 as realistic but cautioned about key risks. Despite recording 5.7% GDP growth in 2024, the firm warned that the projected slowdown would stem from fiscal tightening and aggressive expenditure cuts, limiting policy rollout. Deloitte stressed the need for the government to reverse high budget deficits, which averaged 7.5% between 2021 and 2024, Citinewsroom reports. With the projected 3.1% deficit for 2025, the firm said this signals fiscal prudence under Ghana’s IMF Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program.
