The leadership of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has intensified efforts to operationalise Ghana’s cannabis licensing regime with a diplomatic outreach to the Kingdom of Morocco.
On Wednesday, July 16, 2025, a high-level NACOC delegation led by its Director-General, Brigadier General Maxwell Obubaa Mantey, paid a courtesy call on Her Excellency Mrs. Imane Quaadil, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco, at her office in Accra. The visit aimed to foster bilateral cooperation, particularly in areas related to the regulation and implementation of cannabis licensing in Ghana.
Ghana’s cannabis regulatory framework draws inspiration from Morocco’s structured approach, making the North African nation a key reference point in NACOC’s strategy.
Brig Gen Mantey expressed appreciation for Morocco’s longstanding support of Ghana and highlighted NACOC’s interest in engaging Moroccan regulatory bodies overseeing cannabis licensing.
He disclosed that the Commission seeks to tap into Morocco’s experience by studying effective regulatory mechanisms and successful case models. This, he noted, would help Ghana fine-tune its systems in line with international best practices.
“We are committed to exploring opportunities that enhance our operational capacity, while also sharing experiences and building partnerships with key institutions like those in Morocco,” Brig Gen Mantey said.
He further appealed to the Moroccan Ambassador to facilitate connections with relevant anti-drug enforcement agencies in her country to enable knowledge exchange and cross-border collaboration.
In her response, Ambassador Quaadil welcomed the delegation warmly and commended the initiative.
She noted that it was the first time senior leadership from NACOC had officially visited her office, and expressed her enthusiasm for future cooperation in critical areas such as intelligence sharing, capacity building, and regulatory enforcement.
The Ambassador assured the NACOC team that her office would coordinate with Moroccan institutions to support the Commission’s objectives.
She announced that a delegation from NACOC would be welcomed in Morocco in September 2025 for a study tour focused on cannabis policy implementation, monitoring, and compliance.
Touching on the broader impact of drug abuse on African youth, Mrs. Quaadil expressed concern over the increasing involvement of illegal migrants in drug trafficking networks.
She described the situation as alarming and pledged Morocco’s commitment to working closely with Ghana to combat illicit drug trade and its ripple effects.
“We are witnessing a sad trend where vulnerable African youth, including illegal migrants, are exploited as couriers in international drug trafficking operations. We must act together to stem this tide,” the Ambassador stated.
Also present at the meeting was Mr. Alexander Twum-Berimah, NACOC’s Deputy Director-General in charge of Enforcement, Control, and Elimination.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s readiness to collaborate closely with the Moroccan Embassy on matters of narcotics control and enforcement strategies.
The engagement is part of a broader initiative by NACOC to strengthen international partnerships in support of Ghana’s evolving anti-narcotics and cannabis licensing agenda.
