More than 6,000 young Ghanaians seeking to join the country’s security services tested positive for illicit drug use during a mandatory screening exercise introduced for the first time in this year’s recruitment process.
The revelation by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has raised fresh concerns about the growing influence of substance abuse among young people, particularly those seeking careers in institutions responsible for protecting lives and maintaining national security.
According to the Director-General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, the applicants represented about seven per cent of all candidates screened during recruitment into the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Ambulance Service.
The substances detected among some of the applicants included cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates and tramadol, indicating the wide range of drugs being abused among sections of the youth population.
Speaking at the national commemoration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Accra on Friday, June 26, Brig. Gen. Mantey said the findings should not be viewed as a reason for panic but rather a wake-up call for stronger prevention strategies.
“If we cannot secure the people who guard our streets, how do we secure the country? This is not a cause for despair. It is a call for urgent, systematic action,” he said.
The event was held under the theme: “The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses.”
Growing Drug Challenge
Brig. Gen. Mantey said Ghana, like many countries around the world, was facing a changing drug landscape, with traffickers adopting more sophisticated methods to produce, transport and distribute narcotics.
Referencing the 2025 World Drug Report, he noted that approximately 316 million people globally used illicit drugs, while criminal networks continued to generate huge profits from the illegal trade.
He explained that organised drug groups were increasingly relying on technology, encrypted communication platforms and new trafficking routes to evade detection. Ghana, he said, had recently recorded cases where methamphetamine was concealed in bags of charcoal, highlighting the changing tactics being adopted by criminal networks.
The NACOC Director-General warned that the country was no longer only being used as a transit route for narcotics but was gradually becoming a destination for drug distribution and consumption.
He said the emergence of synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances posed a major challenge because they were often more powerful, highly addictive and difficult to detect.
NACOC Enforcement Figures
Brig. Gen. Mantey disclosed that between 2025 and April this year, NACOC recorded 2,217 arrests and secured 165 prosecutions in connection with drug-related offences.
During the same period, the commission seized more than 8.5 tonnes of narcotic substances.
He further revealed that NACOC confiscated approximately 45.4 million tramadol tablets, describing the quantity as enough opioid doses to provide medication to every Ghanaian once and still have additional supplies remaining.
He stressed that the figures demonstrated the scale of the drug challenge and the need for stronger collaboration among security agencies, communities and institutions.
Strengthening Drug Control Measures
To improve its response, Brig. Gen. Mantey said government had expanded NACOC’s operational presence by increasing its district commands from fewer than 10 to 77 across all 16 regions.
He also disclosed that work was ongoing to replace body scanners at the Kotoka International Airport in collaboration with the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with the new system expected to be operational by August.
Additionally, plans are underway to establish a modern forensic laboratory for NACOC, which is expected to be completed by the end of September.
The facility, he said, would strengthen the commission’s ability to analyse controlled substances, support investigations and improve the prosecution of drug-related cases.
Call for Prevention and Support
The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, who delivered the keynote address, said Ghana’s approach to fighting drug abuse must combine law enforcement with prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery programmes.
He stressed that while criminal groups involved in trafficking must face firm action, individuals struggling with addiction also require support.
“We must be uncompromising in our response to criminal organisations that traffic illicit drugs, recruit vulnerable young people, and profit from human suffering. But we must also recognise that many of those struggling with addiction are themselves victims,” he said.
He added that the government would not allow criminal networks to threaten communities, endanger young people or undermine national security.
The Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, also urged parents, teachers, religious bodies and traditional leaders to intensify education and guidance for young people.
Addressing students at the programme, he advised them to avoid drugs and remain focused on achieving their goals.
“Do not allow drugs to diminish your ambition, cloud your judgment or divert you from your purpose. Let your choices reflect the human promise and potential within you,” he said.
The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, called on parents, especially mothers, to take a more active role in monitoring their children’s upbringing and friendships.
He urged stakeholders to move drug education beyond formal gatherings and extend awareness campaigns to communities where drug abuse is most prevalent.
