A National Integrated Programme Developed

A NATIONAL integrated programme has been developed by the government to tackle drug trafficking and its related problems in the country.
The programme, developed in co-operation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, is meant to improve the ability of the country to respond appropriately to drug trafficking.
The Vice-President, Mr Akwesi Amissah-Arthur, announced this at the inauguration of the West African Commission on the Impact of  Drug Trafficking on Governance, Security and Development in Accra yesterday.
The high-powered commission was convened by Mr Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN).
The commission is under the chairmanship of the former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo and members include distinguished leaders and individuals in West Africa including President Pedro Verona Pires of Cape Verde. 
Mr Amissah Arthur said the value of the drug trade was a significant proportion of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and, therefore, had the ability to undermine national institutions, as the profit from the drug trade could fund and corrupt national institutions and subordinate them to the will of the traffickers.
He added that drug trafficking was, therefore, a threat to the well being, security and stability of nations.
It was in view of that the government would continue to collaborate with ECOWAS, the African Union (AU) and the UN to find a lasting solution to the problem, he said. 
Mr Amissah Arthur said there was the need for countries to work closely with drug producer and consumer regions for the world to deal effectively with drug trafficking.
He underscored the need for the acquisition of accurate information on drugs, adding, ”we must make every effort to ensure that our youth are given the kind of help that reduces their vulnerability to drug pushers and diminish the risks they run in using drugs.”
He added that the government  welcomed the initiative, which was taken by Mr Kofi Annan to raise awareness of the negative impact of drug trafficking in the sub-region.
He said the initiative had come at a crucial time when the countries in the sub-region were facing the threat of sustained instability due to the destructive activities and corrupting influence of drug traffickers.
For his part, Mr Kofi Annan said the massive surge in drug trafficking over the last decade presented a serious and growing threat to the region’s stability and development.
“Left unchecked, illegal drug trafficking could compromise the encouraging progress that West African nations have made in strengthening democracy and promoting human  and economic development,” he added.
Former President Obasanjo said the illegal trade in drugs could cause political instability and social upheavals.
“The trade in illegal drugs has already caused devastation in other regions of the world. We must all work to prevent West Africa from experiencing the same fate. The commission looks forward to its urgent and important work,” he said.
The commission, which will publish a comprehensive report later this year, aims at developing evidence-based policy recommendations for political and civil society leaders to address drug trafficking; creating public awareness and ensuring political commitment to the issue, and promoting local and regional capacities to deal with drug trafficking.