The International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) agency has in the past four years disbursed about $700,000 towards training and logistics to Ghana's law enforcement agencies, as part of its support in combating international drug trafficking.
This was disclosed by Mr. Jerry Lanier, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy, at the opening ceremony of a four-week training programme for Ghanaian narcotic experts in Accra last week
The training aims at educating officials from the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), and the security officials at the Kotoka International Airport, to be well informed in detecting and preventing illegal drugs imported into the country and prosecuting the smugglers of such illegal substances.
It is also designed to build the training capacity of the Ghana Narcotics Control Board through a "training of trainers" approach and to ensure a cordial relationship among the officials.
"We hope the training and equipment we are providing will strengthen front-line protection for the hardworking people of Ghana as well as the United States and other countries against the scourge of drug trafficking, something which threatens our individual livelihoods, and our countries' internal peace and stability" he underscored.
In a statement, delivered on his behalf, by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Edwin Bannes, the Minister, Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, advised Ghanaian participants to take the training offered and funded by the US Department of State's International Narcotics and Law Enforcement agency very serious so as to help the country to eradicate illegal drug trafficking both in Ghana and in the West African region.
