Minority calls for the immediate suspension of Ghana-Colombia maritime agreement

The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has called for the immediate suspension of Ghana’s maritime and port cooperation arrangements with Colombia, citing concerns over recent large-scale cocaine seizures linked to Ghana.

In a statement signed by the Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Member of Parliament for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minority said the developments constituted an immediate national security concern.

The Caucus said the concerns had become more pressing following Ghana’s recent bilateral arrangements with Colombia, including a mutual visa-waiver agreement and a maritime trade arrangement linking the Port of Tema to the Port of Cartagena.

It cited the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report 2026, published in June, which it said identified Colombia as the world’s leading departure country for cocaine shipments, with the majority trafficked by sea.

The Minority also referenced a JoyNews report published on September 29, 2026, which it said reported that Belgian authorities had ranked Ghana as the fifth-largest country of origin for cocaine seized at the Port of Antwerp, a major entry point for cocaine into Europe.

According to the statement, Ghana was the only African country and the only country outside Southern and Central America among the top five countries identified in the report.

The Minority said that, against the backdrop of repeated interceptions of multi-tonne cocaine consignments linked to Ghana both domestically and abroad, the bilateral arrangements with Colombia warranted a comprehensive national security assessment.

It said the integrity of Ghana’s ports and the country’s international standing had already come under strain as a result of the recent seizures.

“Government must not compound these concerns by proceeding with such bilateral arrangements before the attendant risks have been properly assessed and addressed,” the statement said.

The Minority has therefore called on the government to immediately suspend the implementation of the Ghana-Colombia bilateral visa-waiver arrangement and the maritime and port cooperation arrangements.

It has also called for the entire framework, including the visa-waiver agreement, to be subjected to a comprehensive security review before Parliament.

“Our ports must remain gateways for legitimate trade, and not conduits for international criminal networks,” the statement said.

“The security of our borders, the integrity of our institutions and the good name of the Republic must come first.”

The Minority said it would continue to demand accountability and work to protect Ghana’s security, institutions and national interest.

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