Wednesday, 23 September 2026

Ghana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026

Wednesday, 23 September 2026

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Ghanaian press · Person

Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey

Also known as: Brig Gen. Mantey · Brig Gen Mantey · Brig. Gen. Mantey · Mr Mantey · Director-General of NACOC · Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission · Maj. Gen. Maxwell Obuba Mantey · Major-General Mantey · Major-General Maxwell Obuba Mantey

Director-General of Ghana's Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), leading drug trafficking investigations and prevention campaigns as of 2026.

2026-04-282026-09-23

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

June 2026
11 JunJoy Online
… The Chief Imam made the remarks when the Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, led a management delegation to pay a working visit to him ahead of the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. …
Chief Imam Sheikh Sharubutu warns against rising drug abuse ahead of 2026 World Drug Day
May 2026
6 MayJoy Online
… The Vanguard of Nigeria reports that the Director-General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, said this in Abuja, Nigeria, on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, when he led a Ghanaian delegation to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement A …
Ghana facing rising domestic narcotics use – NACOC boss tells Nigerian counterparts
April 2026
28 AprJoy Online
The Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission, Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, has raised alarm over the growing illicit tobacco trade, warning that it poses serious public health risks and results in significant revenue losses for governments. …
Illicit tobacco trade threatens public health, drains revenue – NACOC boss warns

Society

Man arrested in South Africa with suspected cocaine from Ghana

The News

A 52-year-old South African national arriving from Accra was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport with substances suspected to be cocaine valued at R2 million. This is the third major arrest of suspected drug traffickers arriving from Ghana, following a British actress and Australian couple caught with methamphetamine bound for Australia in June, and French customs seizing nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine in a Ghana-sourced container in July.

22 September 2026 · Daily Guide →

Yesterday

Man arrested in South Africa with suspected cocaine from Ghana
A 52-year-old South African national arriving from Accra was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport with substances suspected to be cocaine valued at R2 million. This is the third major arrest of suspected drug traffickers arriving from Ghana, following a British actress and Australian couple caught with methamphetamine bound for Australia in June, and French customs seizing nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine in a Ghana-sourced container in July.
22 September 2026 · Daily Guide →

Monday 21 September

NACOC's 2018 removal from port inspections weakened drug detection
GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi says the removal of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) from Ghana's list of Port Inspection Agencies in June 2018 weakened the country's capacity to detect and prevent drug trafficking through its ports. He welcomed President John Mahama's reported directive to reinstate NACOC on the list and grant it access to all entry and exit points.
21 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Saturday 12 September

NACOC director calls for stronger African cross-border drug cooperation
Ghana's Narcotics Control Commission director-general Major-General Maxwell Obuba Mantey has called for stronger cross-border cooperation among African countries to tackle synthetic drugs, cocaine trafficking and transnational organised crime, arguing that no country can effectively combat drug trafficking alone and that countries must move beyond fragmented national responses to strengthen intelligence sharing and joint operations.
12 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 20 August

NACOC urges youth to seek help for substance abuse
The Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission has urged young people struggling with substance abuse to seek professional assistance early, stressing that recovery is possible and warning against experimenting with drugs due to serious consequences for their future.
20 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 7 August

Ghana faces youth substance abuse crisis threatening future generation
Ghana's youth are increasingly falling into substance abuse, a threat to individual futures and the country's social and economic progress, according to concerns raised by the Narcotics Control Commission, WHO, and UNODC. The growing misuse of drugs such as marijuana, tramadol, shisha, and synthetic drugs is destroying lives across communities.
7 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 1 July

Over 6,000 security service applicants fail drug screening test
More than 6,000 applicants for Ghana's security services tested positive for illicit drugs in mandatory screening—representing about seven per cent of candidates for the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Ghana National Fire Service and Ghana Ambulance Service. The Narcotics Control Commission Director-General said the result underscores the need for preventive interventions against substance abuse among youth.
1 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Mahama, NACOC urge Ghanaian youth to abstain from drugs
President John Dramani Mahama and the Narcotics Control Commission urged Ghana's youth to abstain from drugs at the 2026 World Drug Day commemoration in Accra, saying drug abuse would ruin their lives and families.
1 July 2026 · The Chronicle →

Tuesday 30 June

NACOC expands operations to 77 district commands nationwide
The Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission says the government has expanded operational capacity to combat illicit drugs, with district operational commands growing from fewer than 10 to 77 nationwide covering all 16 regions. The expansion includes 27 operational vehicles, a 100-acre training school site, mobile drug detection scanners, and plans to restore baggage scanners at Accra International Airport by August 2026.
30 June 2026 · Daily Guide →

Friday 26 June

Bel-Aqua Foundation donates GH¢120,000 for drug abuse prevention
The Bel-Aqua Care Foundation has donated GH¢120,000 to NACOC to support training of approximately 800 counsellors in Senior High Schools across Ghana's 16 regions to strengthen drug abuse prevention and provide counselling to students in need.
26 June 2026 · Joy Online →
NACOC urges students to lead campus drug-abuse prevention campaigns
The Narcotics Control Commission Director-General called on students to become ambassadors in the fight against drug abuse, urging them to champion awareness and prevention efforts on their campuses and use peer influence to prevent substance abuse among young people.
26 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Government supplies NACOC mobile drug detectors, upgrades airport scanners
The government has provided the Narcotics Control Commission with mobile drug detection devices and is replacing body intrusive scanners at Kotoka International Airport in collaboration with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, according to NACOC's Director-General, to enhance Ghana's capacity to detect and prevent illicit drug trafficking.
26 June 2026 · Joy Online →
NACOC arrests kingpin in US$296 million meth trafficking case
Ghana's Narcotics Control Commission has arrested the alleged kingpin and two accomplices linked to an international drug trafficking syndicate that shipped 320 kilograms of methamphetamine worth US$296 million to Australia. The arrests followed a three-month intelligence-led investigation after Australian Federal Police intercepted the methamphetamine concealed in charcoal bags at Port Botany in Sydney.
26 June 2026 · Joy Online →
NACOC deploys drug detection scanners at Accra airport from August 2026
The Narcotics Control Commission will roll out new drug detection equipment, including mobile scanners, at Accra International Airport from August 2026 through a Ghana-Netherlands partnership, as part of efforts to strengthen border security and combat drug trafficking. The move follows heightened action against narcotics, including the recent arrest of an alleged drug kingpin linked to the seizure of approximately 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine from Ghana that was intercepted in Australia.
26 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 24 June

NACOC arrests lead shipper of 320kg methamphetamine to Australia
The Narcotics Control Commission and Bureau of National Investigations have arrested a Ghanaian woman identified as the lead shipper of 320kg of methamphetamine intercepted in Australia. Authorities are tracking at least ten other suspects in connection with the shipment.
24 June 2026 · The Chronicle →
NACOC arrests kingpin in 320kg methamphetamine shipment case
The Narcotics Control Commission has arrested the alleged kingpin linked to the attempted export of approximately 320 kilograms of methamphetamine to Australia that was intercepted by Australian authorities, while continuing to pursue other suspects involved in the international drug trafficking operation.
24 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 22 June

Accra Girls SHS wins NACOC anti-drug quiz competition
Accra Girls Senior High School won the 2026 Narcotics Control Commission Inter-Schools Quiz Competition held in Accra on Friday with 44 points, ahead of PRESEC (36 points) and Labone SHS (35 points). The competition aimed to encourage students to champion the fight against drug abuse and narcotic-related offences.
22 June 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →

Friday 19 June

NACOC seeks chiefs' support in combating rising drug abuse
The Narcotics Control Commission has engaged the National House of Chiefs to help tackle drug abuse, particularly among youth. The NACOC Director-General warned that individuals aged 20–29 are the largest group of drug users and that cannabis is the most widely abused substance in Ghana.
19 June 2026 · The Chronicle →

Tuesday 16 June

NACOC to mark International Day Against Drug Abuse June 26
Ghana's Narcotics Control Commission will commemorate the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26, 2026, at UPSA under the theme "The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses," with the Chief of Staff as Guest of Honour.
16 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Sunday 14 June

NACOC partners GJA to combat substance abuse and illicit drugs
The Narcotics Control Commission is seeking closer collaboration with the Ghana Journalists Association to strengthen public education against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking, particularly among young people. The partnership was discussed during a courtesy visit ahead of this year's World Drug Day celebration.
14 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 11 June

NACOC and GSA test seized drugs for 2026 World Drug Day destruction
The Narcotics Control Commission and Ghana Standards Authority have begun scientific examination of narcotic exhibits scheduled for destruction on June 24, 2026, as part of World Drug Day activities. The two-day exercise, supervised by NACOC's Director-General, will produce an analytical report for court approval and is intended to ensure accountability and transparency in the handling of seized substances.
11 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Chief Imam warns of rising drug abuse among youth
National Chief Imam Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu has expressed concern over rising drug abuse among young people, calling it a major threat to the nation's future that requires urgent collective action. NACOC leadership visited him ahead of the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, scheduled for June 26 at UPSA Main Auditorium.
11 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 6 May

Ghana tackles rising domestic drug use via Nigeria cooperation
Ghana's Narcotics Control Commission has reported increased domestic consumption and distribution of illicit drugs and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to deepen cooperation through intelligence sharing, joint operations, and training.
6 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 28 April

Illicit tobacco trade threatens health, revenue—NACOC warns
The Narcotics Control Commission Director-General has warned that illegal tobacco products deprive the state of billions in tax revenue annually, expose consumers to unsafe unregulated goods, and fuel organised crime. A week-long training workshop launched April 27, 2026, aims to strengthen frontline officers' capacity to detect and combat illicit tobacco trafficking at Ghana's entry and exit points.
28 April 2026 · Joy Online →