Ghana’s Bishops call for action against drug menace

Sr. Christine Masivo, CPS – Vatican City

The seizure in France of a large shipment of 3.9 tonnes of cocaine, estimated to be worth €225 million, has brought renewed attention to Ghana’s vulnerability to international drug trafficking. French customs authorities seized the cocaine on 10 September, 2026 after discovering the drugs concealed inside a container carrying plastic waste. The shipment had arrived at the northern French port of Dunkirk from Ghana.

Major seizure raises alarm

For the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC), the discovery of drug trafficking should not be viewed as a one-off incident. In a statement signed by Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, of Sunyani and President of the GCBC said this seizure is one episode within a wider problem.

In the statement shared with Vatican News, the bishops pointed out that Ghana’s geographical position and participation in international trade make vigilance at ports, airports and borders especially important. Their warning comes amid broader concerns about the movement of illegal drugs through West Africa, a region that has increasingly attracted the attention of international drug-trafficking networks.

Transit routes – a domestic havoc

While international trafficking remains a major concern, the Bishops say the problem has another, deeply troubling dimension of drug use among Ghanaian people themselves. The GCBC expressed concern about drug abuse among young people and the impact of money generated through the illegal drug trade on public institutions and individuals entrusted with positions of responsibility.

The Bishops acknowledged that the problem can reach into religious communities, and that they are equally troubled by the domestic face of this menace, highlighting the effects of drug abuse on young people and the temptation that drug money can create for people working in commerce, security services and, painfully, even within the Church.

For the Bishops, tackling the crisis therefore requires more than arrests and seizures. Helping people struggling with addiction and addressing the social conditions that can make young people vulnerable to drugs and the promises associated with the illegal trade needs to be prioritised. They called on government authorities to intensify the fight against drug trafficking while ensuring that people affected by addiction receive support to break free from what the Bishops described as the “ordeal” associated with drugs.

Bishops’ call to action

The Bishops stressed that the responsibility for confronting the drug crisis cannot rest with government agencies alone. They called on Catholic parishes, schools and youth organisations to strengthen drug-prevention programmes, mentorship and pastoral support. Priests, consecrated persons, catechists and lay leaders were also urged to speak more openly and courageously about drug abuse in preaching and religious education.

This reflects a broader understanding of the crisis. According to the prelates, prevention must begin urgently before young people become trapped in addiction or drawn into the drug trade. The Bishops reserved a direct message for Ghana’s young people, urging them not to be seduced by the short-term financial rewards offered by illegal drugs. They urged the youth instead to choose life and to build their futures through honest work, education, faith, virtue and service.

The message is ultimately one of dignity and responsibility. The cocaine seizure in France may have occurred thousands of kilometres from Ghana, but the Bishops argue that its implications reach far beyond a single container or shipment. For Ghana, the challenge is not simply to stop drugs from leaving its shores. It is also to prevent the illegal trade from taking deeper root within society and to protect a generation of young people from paying the human cost.

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