Ghana-Colombia Maritime Deal Faces Calls for Suspension Over Security Concerns
- The Minority Caucus on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee called for the immediate suspension of Ghana's maritime and port cooperation arrangement with Colombia
- Ranking Member Samuel A. Jinapor signed a statement also demanding the suspension of the bilateral visa-waiver arrangement between the two countries
- The Minority cited a UN report and Belgian port data that raised questions about Ghana's links to international smuggling networks
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Ghana's Minority Caucus on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee has called on the government to immediately suspend the country's maritime and port cooperation arrangement with Colombia, citing serious national security concerns.
Source: UGC
The demand, contained in a statement signed by Ranking Member Samuel A. Jinapor, also covers the bilateral visa-waiver arrangement between Ghana and Colombia, which the Minority says must be halted without delay.
Why the minority is raising alarms
The Caucus grounded its concerns in international data.
It referenced the United Nations Office on contraband and Crime's World Narcotics Report 2026, published in June, which identifies Colombia as the leading departure country for illicit shipments by sea.
Separately, it pointed to a JoyNews report indicating that Belgian authorities at the Port of Antwerp ranked Ghana as the fifth-largest country of origin for seized contraband at that facility.
The Minority noted that Ghana stands out as the only African country and the only nation outside South and Central America to appear in that top five, describing the distinction as particularly troubling.
"Prudence and good governance demand a comprehensive national-security assessment of that arrangement before it is permitted to remain in operation," the statement read.
Parliament must review the full framework
Beyond the immediate suspension, the Caucus is pushing for the entire framework governing the Ghana-Colombia agreements, including the visa-waiver component, to be submitted to Parliament for a full security review before any further implementation.
The Minority framed the demand within a broader concern that Ghana's ports risk becoming conduits for international criminal networks rather than gateways for legitimate commerce.
"The security of our borders, the integrity of our institutions and the good name of the Republic must come first," Jinapor's statement said.
The call builds on an earlier push by the Minority to recall Parliament to address concerns that Ghana is being used as a transit point for illicit goods moving internationally.
The Caucus said it would continue pressing for accountability and measures to protect Ghana's security and reputation abroad.
Source: UGC
President forms force to cease narcotic movement
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that President John Dramani Mahama directed the formation of an inter-agency task force to draw up a concrete plan to stop narcotics smuggling through Ghana's borders.
The directive came out of an emergency meeting Mahama personally chaired with senior security officials on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
The task force has been given a two-week window to present a detailed roadmap of recommended measures.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
