The Deputy Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission in charge of Enforcement, Control and Elimination, Alexander Twum Barimah has warned that drug trafficking within educational institutions is becoming increasingly alarming. He stated that the growing involvement of students in the sale and distribution of narcotics signals a disturbing shift in youth behaviour.
Addressing the rising abuse of illicit substances among students, Mr Twum Barimah attributed the trend partly to youthful exuberance and poor decision making. He indicated that many young people are increasingly turning to drug related activities despite being enrolled in institutions meant to shape their future.
Discussing the scale of the problem, the Deputy Director-General said narcotics are no longer confined to hidden locations far from public spaces. He explained that substances once sold in isolated areas are now being marketed openly within campuses and student gatherings.
“What troubles us most is that students are now leading the sale of drugs in schools. He or she is doing is not giving out books or flyers educationally related to other colleagues. Rather, he or she decides to sell an infused cannabis product. So, you go to that stand, you want to buy an ice cream, and that ice cream that you are buying is cannabis infused. To the extent that even egg and pepper, this normal egg and pepper that they sell by the roadside, has cannabis infused in it.”
Alexander Twum Barimah
He said such tactics demonstrate how deeply drug peddlers are embedding narcotics into ordinary student life, where the spread of narcotics is becoming more visible. Mr Twum Barimah referenced universities, nursing training colleges and teacher training institutions as areas where drug presence has risen sharply.
Furthermore, he disclosed that intelligence gathered from recent operations points to students themselves as major players in the trade. This, he said, challenges the long held assumption that external dealers are solely responsible for supplying campuses.
In light of this, he cited recent arrests involving students at Central University. The arrests, he explained, revealed that some students have moved beyond consumption into active commercial distribution.
Mr Twum Barimah also referenced discussions with George Opare Addo, who shared survey findings on the growing prevalence of drugs in schools. He said the research further confirmed the urgent need for intervention.
The emphasis, he stressed, rests on protecting young people before experimentation turns into dependency. The Deputy Director-General ultimately urged institutions, families and regulators to act swiftly to curb the spread of drugs across campuses.
Education And Arrests To Drive New Anti Drug Strategy
Authorities are strengthening anti-narcotics operations as recent arrests expose expanding drug supply chains linked to schools and cross border trafficking. The latest investigations indicate that supply networks now stretch from local campuses to international smuggling routes.
Discussing the source of drugs circulating in schools, Alexander Twum Barimah stated that easy access has become a major driver of student abuse. He explained that traffickers are increasingly treating narcotics as profitable commodities, creating aggressive supply systems aimed at young consumers.
Additionally, he pointed to large scale pharmaceutical trafficking as part of the wider problem. Mr Twum Barimah cited the seizure of 15 million tablets of Tramadol, including dosages of 225, 250 and 150 milligrams, as evidence of the scale of illicit imports.
The Deputy Director-General disclosed that suspects arrested in Central University during recent operations have been remanded and are expected to reappear before court next week. Moreover, ongoing investigations are seeking to identify suppliers and distribution channels. He stated that interrogations will help establish where the drugs were sourced and who facilitated their movement into campuses.
Intelligence teams, he said, initially picked up information about trafficking activities within university campuses before surveillance confirmed the report. Consequently, enforcement officers moved quickly to make arrests once the intelligence was verified. Mr Twum Barimah indicated that this marked an important step toward exposing larger criminal networks.
Beyond enforcement, NACOC is prioritising prevention through education and rehabilitation. He noted that awareness remains the first and most effective line of defence against substance abuse.
In addition, the commission has partnered with University of Professional Studies, Accra for activities marking World Drug Day. The collaboration aims to educate students on the dangers associated with drug abuse and addiction.
Similarly, counselling and rehabilitation support are being expanded for individuals seeking recovery. Mr Twum Barimah explained that NACOC continues to work with private rehabilitation centres to provide treatment for affected persons.
On the methamphetamine shipment intercepted in Australia and linked to Ghana, he revealed that the arrest of a suspected kingpin has opened a wider investigation into all facilitators connected to the shipment.
“Every person who played a role in facilitating the shipment will be picked up. The lead person who did the shipment has been picked. And as at yesterday, some other names had come up, which we are also going to work on them and get them picked, either today or by tomorrow latest.”
Alexander Twum Barimah
He explained that international trafficking requires a network involving freight forwarders, scanners and documentation handlers. The Deputy Director-General finally indicated that investigators are pursuing every lead to expose all actors behind the shipment.
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