A delegation from the Information Services Department (ISD), led by the Ag. Chief Information Officer, Mr. David Owusu-Amoah has paid a courtesy call on the Director General of the Narcotics Control Commission, Mr. Kenneth Adu-Amanfoh on Friday in Accra.
The purpose of the visit was to inform the Commission about ISD’s transformational agenda as well as to discuss ways to collaborate for the mutual benefit of both institutions.
Mr Owusu-Amoah highlighted the functions and operational structure of ISD since the Department was established in 1939.
He also indicated that the Department has been retooled to make it the leading government Public Relations outfit of the government.
“Under the transformation agenda, critical divisions of the Department, including the Research Unit, which collates public reaction reports on issues of national interest, has been refurbished and retooled to gather these reports scientifically so that they can better inform governments policies,” he stressed.
He mentioned that the Department’s recent campaign to combat misinformation was currently underway.
Mr. Amoah further suggested that the two institutions could work together to develop a national agenda to stop the use, import and export of drugs.
According to him, the Department has officers in various districts across the country who can communicate with the locals by speaking to them in their dialect.
The Head of the Public Education Coordination Division of ISD, Mr. Nelson Akatey, noted that the Department can use its media channels to disseminate information to the public.
He further gave the Commission the assurance that language would not be an obstacle to getting information out to the general public.
Director General of the Narcotics Control Commission, Mr. Kenneth Adu-Amanfoh acknowledged that ISD was the appropriate institution to communicate with the public in the fight against drug trafficking.
He noted that the Commission has been fighting drug traffickers for nearly 30 years, with the primary goal of ensuring safety, public health, and security throughout the country.
“In 2020, his Excellency the President enacted a new law Act 1019, this law gives us an enhanced mandate and more. In the old Act, even though we were operating, we realized that there were some limitations and loopholes, but this new Act has given us the power and enforcement to do so.
“Currently, the new act mandates us to be in all the exit and entry points within the country, both land, sea, and air. We are currently in 14 regions, and we are optimistic that by the end of the year, we will have our footprints in the remaining two regions which are Western North and North East.
“So, the beauty of the new Act is that it doesn’t only give us the mandate to only focus on the enforcement and control aspect but also on public health, there are individuals that are already undergoing substance abuse, how do we rehabilitate them and reintegrate them back to the society,” he stated.
According to him, the Commission focused more on supply reduction which was the enforcement, control and elimination aspect of its operation.
“We ensure that they reduce the supply into the country by blocking the avenues of using Ghana as a hub or transit point. It makes drugs scarcer.
“The other area is demand reduction, I’m sure that we will have more engagement in that area. It is more of the education, counseling, and awareness creation in the second cycle schools, communities reducing the demand for illegal drugs using prevention, treatment and research in the country,” he added.
He concluded by saying, “The commission is optimistic that we will work together to combat drug abuse and trafficking.”
Patience Anaadem, ISD
