"UK cocaine scandal is a lesson well learnt"- Prez Mahama




President John Mahama says Ghana will learn lessons from what has become the Nayele cocaine scandal hanging like an albatross on the neck of the country.

He said the government will appraise the weaknesses in the system and ensure it does not happen again.

The president was speaking on a political discussion programme Good Evening Ghana,Thursday.

His comments come in the wake of the arrest in UK of a Ghanaian drug suspect, Nayele Ametefe on November 10, 2014.

Ms Ametefe had attempted to enter the UK with 12.5 kg of cocaine illegally.

She was arrested at the Heathrow Airport in London.

Ms Ametefe, who also uses the alias, Ruby Adu-Gyamfi, together with two female accomplices breached Ghana's airport security allegedly with assistance from three Ghanaian security and Foreign Affairs officials.

Per charges leveled against the three suspects arrested over the case, Nayele and her two accomplices were said to have used the VVIP section of the Kotoka International Airport prior to boarding the British Airways flight.

Her two female accomplices escaped in London but were arrested on their return to Ghana.

Nayele Ametefeh pleaded guilty to the offence of drug trafficking and imploring the UK judge to speed up her sentence. Her case has been adjourned to January 5.

Speaking on the matter on Good Evening Ghana, President John Mahama said the country is still committed to the fight against illegal drugs trade.

He said "Ghana cannot do it alone" and needs to collaborate with other international crime fighting agencies to curb the canker.

He stated that steps must be taken to review the people who have access to the VIP section at the Kotoka International Airport.

The president had come under heavy criticisms for dissolving the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) in the wake of the scandal but the president said he dissolved the board because its term had elapsed.

He promised a new board will soon be reconstituted.


Source: Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah