Ghana to fight organised crime with National Integrated Programme

The Interior Ministry has set up a National Integrated Programme (NIP) as an effective regional response to the threat pose by organised crime.

According to the sector Minister, Kwesi Ahwoi, “NIP is a governmental development framework to deal with inefficiencies in the criminal justice system elaborated through an inclusive and participative approach, which aimed at fighting transnational organised crime.”

Speaking at the launch of the NIP document, which is a collaboration of the Government of Ghana and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Mr. Ahwoi added that the NIP also seeks to strengthen the criminal justice system in Ghana.”

The document is an opening to a wide range of stakeholders, including inter alia, bilateral partners and Unite Nations Agencies with a view to avoid duplication, overlaps and involve possible funding partners at an early stage so as to create consensus on the way forward and a synergy of efforts.

Mr Ahwoi said the overall objective of the programme is to contribute to and support the efforts of West African States as well as regional organisations and civil society to respond to evolving human security threats and to promote the rule of law and good governance.

Within the framework of the implementation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Action Plan, Ghana’s Ministry of the Interior together with the UNODC organised a high level conference on drugs in March 2009 in Accra.

The Executive Secretary of the Narcotics Control Board (NARCOB), Yaw Akrasi Sarpong also mentioned that NIP is a regional response to the growing threat posed by illicit drug trafficking and organised crime in West Africa. “ECOWAS with the support of UNODC convened a Ministerial Conference in October 2008 in Praia, Cape Verde, which resulted in the formulation of a Political Declaration on the prevention of drug abuse, illicit trafficking and organised crimes in West Africa,” he stated.

He said in parallel, on June 23 2009, Ghana through the Ministry of the Interior signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UNODC to pave way for the development of NIP against drugs and crime, adding that the external threat to Ghana is mostly related to the various transnational trafficking flows such as cocaine, human beings and fraudulent medicines.

The NIP seeks to address five strategic objectives, consisting Legislative law, Law enforcement, Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing Terrorism, Criminal Justice System and Drug Demand Reduction on HIV and AIDS Prevention Treatment.

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong on her part said Judges and Prosecutors will be train to handle cases involving drugs, human trafficking, sex trade, illicit weapons and ammunition and other crimes.

She gave the assurance that her Ministry is ready to collaborate with stakeholders to fight transnational organised crime and to strengthen the criminal justice system, which would promote a sound economic growth and development.