Ghana Minute.
Thursday, 9 July 2026
Ghana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Thursday, 9 July 2026
Accra—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—
Ghanaian press · Organization

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Also known as: UNODC

International organization facilitating correctional practices exchanges between Ghana and Nigeria on prisoner classification, rehabilitation programmes, and prison management.

2026-04-272026-07-09

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. July 2026
  2. Joy Online

    He also linked the latest case to a wider regional and global narcotics economy, saying West Africa continues to face the risk of becoming a transit and processing hub for international drug syndicates. “In 2012, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime stated that a whole fa

    Ghana risks becoming a narco-state if drug networks infiltrate institutions – Prof Antwi-Danso
  3. Joy Online

    oners, development partners and educational institutions all have a role to play. “There must be collaboration,” Mr Bodi said. “We want to help, but we must also ensure security and sustainability.” Support from organisations including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

    How dance and creative arts are transforming rehabilitation in Ghana’s correctional centres
  4. June 2026
  5. Joy Online

    The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that between 2% and 5% of global GDP, equivalent to USD 2.2 to 5.5 trillion in 2024, is laundered annually, with real estate consistently identified as the single most attractive layering and integration channel.

    Gatekeepers or Enablers of IFFs? The role of the Ghanaian real estate professional
  6. Joy Online

    Looking ahead, NACOC said it is partnering with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to complete Ghana’s first comprehensive national drug prevalence survey by the second quarter of 2027 and establish a National Early Warning System to monitor emerging synthetic d

    NACOC arrests alleged Kingpin behind US$296 million meth syndicate as Ghana Marks World Drug Day
  7. Joy Online

    Mr Fianu said the global drug situation remained worrying, with recent estimates by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) indicating that nearly 300 million people worldwide used drugs, while millions suffered from drug use disorders without access to treatment.

    UBS, NACOC urge youth to reject drugs through empowerment, education
  8. Joy Online

    Regarding meth itself, Ghana is a growing node in the production of “precursors,” i.e. raw chemicals that can be turned into meth with ease (with imports supposedly regulated by NACOC), according to GI-TOC, UNODC, and other global intel services.

    Bright Simons demands answers on 320kg meth seizure linked to Ghana
  9. May 2026
  10. Joy Online

    According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of persons through force, fraud, or deception for exploitation.

    GJA calls for investment in journalism to fight human trafficking
  11. The Ghanaian Times

    The visit, organised in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), commenced last Monday at the Ghana Prisons Service Headquarters in Accra where upon arrival, the delegation was received with a quarter guard and warmly welcomed by the Director-Gener

    Nigerian, UN drug office delegation conclude learning exchange in Ghana
  12. Joy Online

    The delegation also included three officials from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

    Nigerian correctional officers visit Ankaful Prison Complex for study tour
  13. April 2026
  14. Business & Financial Times

    The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has linked such practices to broader issues of weak rule of law and informal power structures in land management.

    The Construction and Real Estate Digest with Daniel KONTIE: Red flags in the property market
Society

Ghana risks narco-state status if drug networks infiltrate institutions

The News

Security analyst Prof Vladimir Antwi-Danso has warned that the attempted export of methamphetamine to Australia reveals serious intelligence failures and possible infiltration of state institutions by organised crime. He cautioned that the incident should not be treated as an isolated act but as part of a larger international drug trade, and said the country must act quickly to prevent becoming a narco-state.

18 hours ago · Joy Online

Yesterday

  1. Ghana risks narco-state status if drug networks infiltrate institutions

    Security analyst Prof Vladimir Antwi-Danso has warned that the attempted export of methamphetamine to Australia reveals serious intelligence failures and possible infiltration of state institutions by organised crime. He cautioned that the incident should not be treated as an isolated act but as part of a larger international drug trade, and said the country must act quickly to prevent becoming a narco-state.

    18 hours ago · Joy Online

Wednesday 1 July

  1. Dance and creative arts support rehabilitation in Ghanaian prisons

    Dance and creative expression are being integrated into rehabilitation programmes at Ghana's correctional centres alongside traditional vocational and educational pathways. Prison officers, dancers and mental health advocates argue that creative arts help address the emotional trauma and psychological needs of incarcerated young people beyond what classroom instruction alone can achieve.

    1 July 2026 · Joy Online

Tuesday 30 June

  1. Real estate sector faces money laundering risks in Ghana

    An analysis examines how Ghanaian real estate professionals may facilitate or prevent illicit financial flows through property transactions, noting that real estate is estimated to absorb USD 1.6 trillion in laundered money annually worldwide and is implicated in 74% of major money laundering schemes globally.

    30 June 2026 · Joy Online

Friday 26 June

  1. 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

Thursday 25 June

  1. NACOC, school urge youth drug rejection through education, empowerment

    The Narcotics Control Commission and UHAS Basic School called for sustained investment in youth empowerment, education and community engagement as tools against drug abuse and trafficking, during the school's third World Drug Day celebration in Ho.

    25 June 2026 · Joy Online

Sunday 21 June

  1. Simons demands transparency on 320kg meth seizure from Ghana

    Australia's border police seized methamphetamines worth approximately $210 million in street value hidden in charcoal containers shipped from Ghana in April 2026. Bright Simons criticizes Ghanaian security agencies for providing no updates on the bust and notes that any charcoal export from Ghana requires permits from the Energy Commission, raising questions about how the shipment was cleared.

    21 June 2026 · Joy Online

Friday 29 May

  1. GJA urges investment in journalism to combat human trafficking

    The Ghana Journalists Association has called for increased investment in journalism, including training, access to information, and safety support for journalists, to strengthen the fight against human trafficking. The call was made at the media launch ahead of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons (Blue Day), observed annually on July 30, with this year's theme focusing on sports trafficking.

    29 May 2026 · Joy Online

Wednesday 20 May

  1. Nigerian delegation concludes correctional practices exchange in Ghana

    A delegation from the Nigerian Correctional Service, led by Assistant Controller General Latakile Cham Cyrus, concluded a learning exchange visit to Ghana organised with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, focusing on prisoner classification, inmate separation systems, rehabilitation programmes, and prison management practices at three facilities.

    20 May 2026 · The Ghanaian Times

Thursday 14 May

  1. Nigerian correctional officers tour Ghana's Ankaful Prison Complex

    The Ghana Prisons Service hosted eight senior officers from the Nigerian Correctional Service and three UNODC officials at Ankaful Prison Complex on May 13, 2026, to strengthen correctional administration through professional learning and exchange of best practices in prison security, rehabilitation, and staff development.

    14 May 2026 · Joy Online

Monday 27 April

  1. Ghana's property market faces multiple legal and institutional risks

    Ghana's real estate sector attracts significant investor interest but conceals legal, institutional and socio-cultural vulnerabilities that expose buyers to financial and legal risks, including issues like multiple sales of single parcels and litigation engineered as business strategy.

    27 April 2026 · Business & Financial Times

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime — Ghanaian press coverage · Ghana Minute