Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh has challenged President John Dramani Mahama to take responsibility for failures within his administration following the seizure of 2.6 tonnes of cocaine in Spain from a shipment that originated at Ghana’s Tema Port.
The Executive Director of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) directed his criticism at the President in a social media post on November 11, 2026, arguing that Mahama must ensure public officials are held accountable for their performance, particularly those overseeing the country’s security institutions.
Prof Prempeh reminded the President that executive authority rests with him and that the power to appoint public officials also carries the responsibility to demand results from them.
“Mr President, just so you know, Sir, in case you need reminding, the Executive Authority of this Republic, all of it, is vested in you and in you alone,” he wrote.
He further argued that the President should not hesitate to remove officials who fail to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
“Your power to appoint includes the power to hold appointees responsible, including the power to fire those asleep on the job or not otherwise up to the task. Wake up, Mr. Nice Guy! We are waiting!” he added.
His comments follow the discovery of 2,600 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in two shipping containers that left Tema Port for Spain.
According to information released by Spanish authorities on November 11, the containers departed Ghana on August 2, 2026, and arrived at the Port of Valencia on August 22 aboard a container vessel.
The shipment had been declared as coconuts but was flagged as high-risk during routine international trade checks. This prompted a joint operation involving Spain’s Guardia Civil and the Customs Surveillance Service of the country’s Tax Agency.
A detailed inspection uncovered specially constructed compartments beneath the wooden crates carrying the coconuts. Investigators found several packages containing a white substance hidden beneath false bottoms.
Field tests and subsequent laboratory analysis confirmed that the substance was cocaine hydrochloride.
Spanish investigators reportedly chose not to end the operation immediately after discovering the drugs. Instead, they removed the cocaine, resealed the containers and continued monitoring the shipment in an effort to identify those expected to collect the cargo.
The surveillance eventually led officers to two refrigerated trucks that arrived to pick up the containers.
The vehicles were followed to a warehouse at the La Juaida industrial estate in Almería, where two men were arrested while the cargo was being unloaded.
The suspects are believed to be the importer of the cocaine and the person responsible for supervising the unloading process.
The seizure has renewed attention on the security of Ghana’s export and port operations, with Prof Prempeh using the incident to call on President Mahama to ensure that officials responsible for safeguarding the country’s systems are held accountable.
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