Governments urged to commit resources to fight narcotics trade

27/10/2011
Story: Mary Mensah, Lusaka Zambia
Governments in Africa have been urged to commit more resources to the fight against the narcotics trade and money laundering on the continent.
The fight cannot be won without information and there is the need to provide money to reward and appreciate informants who are key in the fight against drug cultivation, drug abuse and trafficking as well as money laundering.
The Commiss ioner of the Drug Enforcement Commission of Zambia, Mr Mr Adongo made the call in the Zambian capital of Lusaka when an eight member delegation from Ghana on study tour in Zambia to study the drug demand reduction strategies for possible implementation in Ghana paid a courtesy call on the Commissioner of the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), Mr. Aaron C. Zulu in his office.
The tour was organized by the Narcotics Control Board for its stakeholders to study the use of chiefs in drug demand reduction strategies and money laundering for possible implementation in Ghana.
Members of the delegation were drawn from NACOB, Consortium of NGO's in Drug Abuse Prevention, the Media, School Health Educational Programme (SHEP) of the Ministry of Education, Financial Intelligence Centre and CHASS.
He said Zambia has chalked many successes in their demand reduction efforts by using their traditional rulers and headsmen who acts as whistle blowers to the Drug Enforcement Commission and this has helped them to arrest suspects who grow and supply cannabis or Indian hemp.