Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ACCRA2402
2007-11-14 08:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Accra
Cable title:  

UK DRAWS HARD LINE WITH GOG ON NARCOICS

Tags:  PREL SNAR PGOV KCRM GH 
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VZCZCXRO5592
OO RUEHPA
DE RUEHAR #2402 3180853
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 140853Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5710
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 0253
C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 002402 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR INL AND AF/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2017
TAGS: PREL SNAR PGOV KCRM GH
SUBJECT: UK DRAWS HARD LINE WITH GOG ON NARCOICS

REF: A) ACCRA 2244 B) ACCRA 2273 C) ACCRA 2374 D)
ACCRA 2140

Classified By: CHARGE SUE K. BROWN FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 002402

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR INL AND AF/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2017
TAGS: PREL SNAR PGOV KCRM GH
SUBJECT: UK DRAWS HARD LINE WITH GOG ON NARCOICS

REF: A) ACCRA 2244 B) ACCRA 2273 C) ACCRA 2374 D)
ACCRA 2140

Classified By: CHARGE SUE K. BROWN FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: On October 23-24, UK Foreign Office Minister
of State Dr. Kim Howells visited Ghana and delivered a stern
message on narcotics to President Kufuor, Minister of
Interior Kwamena Bartels, and Attorney General Joe Ghartey.
According to UK High Commission contacts, Howells told the
GOG it must do more to combat the increasing flow of
narcotics and urged the GOG to go after drug barons rather
than small time couriers. President Kufuor agreed with
Howells and said he highly values counternarcotics
cooperation with the UK and U.S. Howells also launched a new,
joint UK-GOG narcotics awareness campaign aimed at deterring
narcotics couriers from traveling to Europe and the U.S. END
SUMMARY.


2. (C) On November 1, Gary Nicholls, Second Secretary at the
British Embassy, briefed poloff on the October 23-24 visit of
UK Foreign Office Minister of State Dr. Kim Howells. Howells,
who covers counter narcotics in his portfolio, met with
President Kufuor, Minister of Interior Kwamena Bartels and
Attorney General Joe Ghartey. Nicholls said Howells delivered
a stern message to the Ghanaians on narcotics, stressing in
each meeting the importance of complete government
participation in the battle against narcotics. Howells also
emphasized that the GOG must focus more on investigating and
arresting drug barons, rather than concentrating on small
time couriers, according to Nicholls. Results from Operation
Westbridge, which focuses on interdicting narcotics
transiting Ghana's main airport, are impressive, Howells
said. However the seizures underscore the growing narcotics
problem. Nicholls said Kufuor generally agreed with Howells'
statements and added that Ghana highly values counter
narcotics cooperation from the U.S. and the UK.


3. (C) In a separate meeting with Minister of Interior
Kwamena Bartels, Nicholls said Bartels claimed credit for the
recent arrest of two Afghan nationals in Accra (refs A and B)
and said these arrests demonstrated Ghana's commitment to
fighting drug barons. Bartels asked for more equipment,
including scanners and/or dogs, and Howells, responded rather
testily that equipment is only as good as the operators. If,
Howells went on to say, a "criminal" is operating equipment,
it is worthless. Howells told Bartels that the GOG must
thoroughly vet all counter narcotics personnel. Attorney
General Joe Ghartey was upbeat in a separate meeting with
Howells, and touted the success of the bail bond law changes
in keeping suspects from jumping bail, according to Nicholls.
(COMMENT: The bill has been effective. END COMMENT.) Ghartey
also said the anti money-laundering bill in Parliament should
become law by December and the asset recovery bill, which
would allow assets recovered from criminal investigations to
be used by security agencies, should pass soon. (NOTE: The
anti money-laundering bill passed on November 2 as reported
in ref C. END NOTE.)


4. (U) Howells also launched Operation Hibiscus on October

24. This awareness program, in the form of an animated
character, draws upon the tue experience of a young Ghanaian
woman caught carrying drugs to London. The program will air
on state television and will be featured in print media.
Members of the diplomatic corps, GOG, and hundreds of
students attended the roll-out. Minister of Interior Bartels
spoke and said "massive quantities of drugs are transiting
the country" and the GOG would make "the appropriate efforts"
to counter the narcotics flow, including passing the asset
recovery bill soon. The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Nuhu
Sharabutu, also spoke and declared, through an interpreter,
"jihad" on narcotics and urged everyone to join the fight.
This project is the first effort to combine religious,
governmental and non governmental actors, and a foreign
government in a campaign against narcotics.


5. (C) COMMENT: The UK is increasingly drawing a stronger
line with Ghana on narcotics. As reported in ref D, Nicholls
publicly criticized Ghana for not doing better in a recent
newspaper article and Howells appears to have continued on
this strong theme. Nicholls said that in response to the
newspaper story, President Kufuor dressed down the Minister
of Interior and National Security Advisor in front of all the
other Ministers for their failure to effectively battle the
narcotics flow.
BROWN