Ghana’s Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has launched a fierce crackdown on the influx of lethal opioids after a shocking BBC investigation exposed how dodgy pharmaceutical firms are pumping dangerous painkillers into West Africa.
This comes after a BBC investigation uncovered how pharmaceutical giant Aveo has been illegally flooding Ghana and other West African nations with a deadly cocktail of tapentadol and carisoprodol.
Raising the alarm in Parliament, Mr Akandoh revealed that a Joint Task Force—comprising the FDA, Narcotics Control Commission, Customs, and the GRA—has stepped up border security to intercept illegal drug shipments.
“We have already disrupted a large consignment of tramadol and similar substances, and offenders will face the full wrath of the law,” he declared.
But the damage is already being felt on the ground. Korle Klottey MP, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, painted a grim picture of the drug menace, revealing how addicts have taken over school premises, harassing children and teachers.
“Just three weeks ago, a security guard at the Nii Amugi Cluster of Schools was attacked by drug addicts. He is now in a coma at 37 Military Hospital,” she told Parliament.
Lambussie MP, Prof Titus Beyuo, also raised the alarm, warning that communities are being destroyed by this growing addiction crisis.
Meanwhile, Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh has called for immediate government action, warning that failure to tackle the crisis will have devastating consequences.
The big question remains—who is truly behind this drug invasion, and will the government’s crackdown be enough to stop the rot before more lives are lost?
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