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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Ghana: Ministry offers "Alternative Dev't Programme" to marijuana growers Irene Elorm Hatsu Public Agenda, Ghana Friday 24 Feb 2006 Ghana has not been left out in the global upsurge in drug trafficking. The country’s entry points are gradually being used as transit points for drug trafficking and this situation has become a matter of great concern to the government and the general public. To curb the abuse of drugs and the use of the country as a transit point, the Narcotics Control Board and the Drug Enforcement Unit of the Ghana Police Service have intensified efforts in detecting and arresting suspects. With the assistance of international partners, narcotics detection equipment has been installed at the Kotoka International Airport and this has led to many arrests and seizures. According to statistics from the Narcotics Control Board, more than ninety high profile drug couriers were arrested between January and December 2005. Most of these arrests were made at the Kotoka International Airport with over 50 kg of cocaine seized over the period. Approximately seven kg of heroin were seized. Four acres of cannabis plantation was destroyed in the Volta region alone. Overall, 11,000 kg of cannabis was seized country wide over the period. Cannabis which is locally cultivated is the most abused drug countrywide. To minimize its availability, the Narcotics Control Board has introduced the Alternative Development Programme which seeks to persuade cannabis growers to go into the cultivation of food crops or undertake other economic ventures. The Minister of Interior, Papa Owusu Ankomah made this known when he took his turn at the meet the press series in Accra on Tuesday. He disclosed that so far, over 190 farmers have been persuaded and have gone through training programmes at Essam in the Eastern Region aimed at re-orienting them to go into the production of other crops. The minister used the opportunity to assure farmers who are still cultivating cannabis that they would not be prosecuted if they willingly offer themselves to the authorities for training. “It is our hope to extend the programme to other areas, where cannabis is grown over the next year”, he said. He announced that the drug enforcement unit of the Ghana Police Service made a huge seizure of narcotic drugs when two drug suspects were arrested with 580 kg of cocaine late last year. According to him, the Police Service will continue to collaborate with the Narcotic Control Board in drug law enforcement. The minister said his ministry has been moved into action because the youth, who are the leaders of tomorrow, are increasingly taking to drug abuse and trafficking. To ensure that these future leaders are not lured into drugs, Papa Ankomah said the Demand Reduction Department of the Narcotics Control Board in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and some NGO’S are treating, rehabilitation and sensitizing the victims. “The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the government of the United States of America and United Kingdom have been providing assistance to the country’s agencies responsible for narcotics control to help them build their capacities”, he stated. Meanwhile, he noted that discussions are on going with Customs Service of the United Kingdom to carry out on site training programmes on drug interdiction for officers of the Narcotics Control Board at the Kotoka International Airport. Similarly, Hon Ankomah said the Ghana Immigration Service has successfully completed the computerized passenger clearance project at the Kotoka International Airport. This he said has remarkably minimized passenger processing time at the arrival and department points. “Work is on going at the other major entry points including Paga, Elubo and Aflao to install similar equipment,” he added. “As part of the efforts towards improving the management of the country’s borders, the Government has decided to enhance the capacity of the Ghana Immigration Service to perform more efficiently and effectively its responsibilities with respect to the entry and exit of person to and from the country,” he disclosed. This he said will enable the service to deal with cross-border and travel-related crimes with a high degree of accuracy and efficiency. He said with the sudden influx of persons claiming to be running away from various forms of persecution from their home countries and countries of domicile, the service has also established a Refugee desk at the Headquarters to speedily handle refugee/asylum issue. http://www.ghanaweb.com/public_agenda/article.php?ID=4899
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