The WikiLeaks disclosures have finally reached Ghana's coast after a leaked cable revealed that the country's President was worried over the possible involvement in drug trafficking of highly placed insiders in his administration.
The government is now facing a backlash after leaked US cables suggested there was official inaction and political interference in the fight against Ghana's illicit drug trade, and also dating back to the previous administration of President John Kufuor.
A supposed conversation between President John Atta Mills and the US ambassador depicts the Ghanaian leader expressing concern that members of his entourage could be complicit in the lucrative narcotics trade.
In what could sully Ghana's solid credentials, the cable claims that officers from the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) actively assisted traffickers by alerting them through telephone calls on when to travel to avoid detection by law enforcers.
Some of the officers were alleged to have sabotaged sensitive drug scanners and allowed some passengers including pastors, bank managers and their wives--some of whom were under suspicion--to pass through the security-exempt Very Very Important Personalities (VVIP) lounge.
The initial reaction by the US embassy in Accra has been to condemn the "illegal disclosure" of drug- related issues in Ghana by the controversial website.
The information officer at the embassy, Mr Ben East, in a radio interview said that "the disclosure could put people’s lives in danger and could harm US relations."
Seemed to admit
But commenting on the new disclosures, Mr Ben Ndego, a narcotics control officer seemed to admit that government officials were assisting drug barons when he in a media interview said that "persons involved in the drug trade were very powerful people who not only dine and wine with, but also sponsor, politicians."
Following disclosures that some holders of diplomatic passports had abused the privilege by smuggling drugs, deputy information minister Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa told an Accra radio station that the government had decided to withdraw some of these passports that did not meet the criteria for holding diplomatic status.
"When we came to power, we noticed that a lot of diplomatic passports were in the system and that the users did not meet the criteria.
"So the President authorised that about 375 diplomatic passports be withdrawn from the system and that has been carried out," Mr Okudzeto-Ablakwa said.
The minister said the government had decided to go public with the information "to point to the commitment that this government has had in fighting the drug menace because you need to control who is going in and coming out, and who is abusing the privilege of having a diplomatic passport.”
Discussions of the leaked reports have also split along party lines. Minister for information, John Tia Akologu, has issued a statement saying that President Mills was "committed and unwavering in the fight against narcotics regardless of the threats that the leaks pose to this fight."
Downplayed
The statement sought to downplay aspects of the disclosures which suggested President Mills had expressed worry about his appointees engaging in the narcotic trade. "President Mills has no cause to suspect his appointees and believes that they are with him in this noble task to make Ghana a no-transit point for narcotics."
"Despite the challenges inherited, the government of President Mills will relentlessly continue with this fight and will ensure that the NACOB receives continuous support evidenced by the historic increase in budgetary allocation to NACOB, and that the process to elevate the NACOB into a stronger independent Commission which is at a very advanced stage continues,” the statement further read.
The executive secretary of NACOB, Yaw Akrasi-Sarpong, has however dismissed some portions of the leaked reports as untrue.
Mr Akrasi-Sarpong said he had extensive discussions with President Mills, and would be shocked if the alleged discussion between the President and the US ambassador actually took place.
Mr Akrasi-Sarpong, however admitted as true other parts of the cables which said that the VVIP lounge at the airport was used by some selected people for their travels and that some of them might have exploited that privilege to transport drugs from the country.
The continuing revelations have also roped in the country's civil society groups. Anti-corruption campaign group, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) said the government should investigate the leaked classified documents that alleged the involvement of high level government officials in the narcotics trade.
GII executive secretary, Mr Vitus Azeem, said the President should order an immediate investigation if he suspected members of his government were engaged in drug trafficking.
By FRANCIS KOKUTSE in Accra(Africa Review)
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