Executive Secretary of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), Akrasi Sarpong, lost his cool on Monday and virtually went ballistic when he told a leading member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe to the face to give him "a f**king break”.
The NPP guru had called for Mr. Akrasi’s head and had also in not so direct words, dared the NACOB boss to either put up or shut up regarding his (Akrasi’s) allegation that some politicians were using proceeds from narcotic trade to finance activities of their parties.
The NACOB boss’s threats followed the recently launched 2011 World Drug Report which estimates that about 21 tonnes of cocaine was trafficked via West Africa to Europe in 2009, a significant drop from 47 tonnes two years earlier.
The report says while global markets for cocaine, heroin and cannabis declined or remained stable, the production and abuse of prescription for opioid drugs and new synthetic drugs rose. The launch of the World Drug Report was just a couple of days ahead of the 2011 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking which fell on Sunday June 26.
According to Mr. Sarpong, his outfit has information that some politicians are heavily funded by these drug barons, adding that NACOB will deal ruthlessly with any politician caught to be using proceeds from the illicit trade notwithstanding the party he or she belongs to.
He added that as the 2012 general elections draws closer, NACOB will be very vigilant and monitor the situation carefully to bring to book any culprit found.
His stern warning to politicians to avoid using drug money for their campaigns has been met with a lot of criticisms especially from the opposition NPP who believe the NACOB Boss should instead of issuing veiled threats, intensify investigation and arrests those politicians.
One of his fiercest critics, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, opined that Mr Sarpong was unfit to head the anti-narcotic bureau and cautioned him to stop speaking loosely by providing substantial evidence to back his claim.
But speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme, the NACOB Boss lost his cool and took Dr. Tamakloe to the cleaners, describing him (Tamakloe) as “shameless” and warning him to give him (Sarpong) "a f**king break”.
Mr. Sarpong added that he is not bothered by what Dr. Tamakloe thinks of him since he knows that his position is not a permanent job, stressing that as a pharmacist, he can always secure a job if he is relieved off his position.
“As for whether I deserve this post or not, it has nothing to do with this. I am a pharmacist so if they want me to proceed on leave, I can leave. I know this is not a permanent job or position and indeed no experienced person comes here and stays for long…Mr. Quantson, Gen. Baiden, Mr. Ayalingo (all former NACOB Executive Secretaries), have all served their duties and they were more experienced than me, but it is the president’s wisdom that I am here not his (Tamakloe’s) choice,” he said angrily.
