NACOB TEAM ON STUDY TOUR IN ZAMBIA

28/01/2011
Story: Mary Mensah, Lusaka, Zambia
AN eight-member delegation from Ghana has paid a nine-day study visit to Zambia to exchange ideas with the Zambia’s Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) on best practices in the fight against the narcotics trade.
The tour was organised by the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) for its stakeholders as part of its effort at steppig up the fight against drug abuse, cultivation and trafficking, as well as demand reduction strategies in Ghana.
The delegation was led by the Director of the Department of Social Welfare and member of NACOB, Mr Stephen Tampuri Adongo, with the other members drawn from the Ministry of Education, the Consortium of NGOs, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), the Financial Intelligence Centre and the media.
The delegation, on arrival in Zambia, paid a courtesy call on the Zambian Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Mkhondo Lungu, who called on African leaders to commit more resources to the fight against narcotic drugs and other substances on the continent.
He said the drug trade transcended borders and that it was important for governments in Africa to learn from one another and share intelligence in order to rid the continent of the drug menace.
Mr Lungu commended NACOB for the initiative and said Ghana and Zambia had enjoyed fruitful collaboration since the era of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, adding, "We are happy that you are here to partner us in the fight against narcotics in the country."
For his part, Mr Adongo said NACOB had chalked up a number of successes in the fight against narcotic drugs, money laundering and other illicit trade.
He said Ghana had decided to partner other African countries to fight the drug menace in the spirit of and foster South-South co-operation.
He said NACOB was impressed with the demand reduction strategies adopted by the DEC which had led to many successes in the fight against the narcotics trade in Zambia.
Mr Adongo indicated that the involvement of chiefs and community leaders in the fight was very commendable.
The delegation also paid a courtesy call on the Ghana High Commissioner to Zambia, Dr George William Branford, and briefed him on the drug situation in Ghana and the commitment of the government to step up its strategies.
It also visited the Central and Western provinces to interact with chiefs on their partnership with the DEC to sensitise their subjects to the dangers of narcotics cultivation, trafficking and abuse.