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Ghana's Minority Caucus on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee has called on the government to immediately suspend the country's maritime and port cooperation arrangement with Colombia, citing serious national security concerns.
The demand, contained in a statement signed by Ranking Member Samuel A. Jinapor, also covers the bilateral visa-waiver arrangement between Ghana and Colombia, which the Minority says must be halted without delay.
The Caucus grounded its concerns in international data.
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It referenced the United Nations Office on contraband and Crime's World Narcotics Report 2026, published in June, which identifies Colombia as the leading departure country for illicit shipments by sea.
Separately, it pointed to a JoyNews report indicating that Belgian authorities at the Port of Antwerp ranked Ghana as the fifth-largest country of origin for seized contraband at that facility.
The Minority noted that Ghana stands out as the only African country and the only nation outside South and Central America to appear in that top five, describing the distinction as particularly troubling.
Beyond the immediate suspension, the Caucus is pushing for the entire framework governing the Ghana-Colombia agreements, including the visa-waiver component, to be submitted to Parliament for a full security review before any further implementation.
The Minority framed the demand within a broader concern that Ghana's ports risk becoming conduits for international criminal networks rather than gateways for legitimate commerce.
The call builds on an earlier push by the Minority to recall Parliament to address concerns that Ghana is being used as a transit point for illicit goods moving internationally.
The Caucus said it would continue pressing for accountability and measures to protect Ghana's security and reputation abroad.
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that President John Dramani Mahama directed the formation of an inter-agency task force to draw up a concrete plan to stop narcotics smuggling through Ghana's borders.
The directive came out of an emergency meeting Mahama personally chaired with senior security officials on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
The task force has been given a two-week window to present a detailed roadmap of recommended measures.
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Ruth Sekyi (Entertainment Editor)
Ruth Esi Amfua Sekyi is a Human Interest Editor at YEN.com.gh with 4+ years' experience across radio, print, TV, and digital media. She holds a B.A. in Communications (PR) from UNIMAC-IJ. Her media career began at Radio GIJ (campus radio), followed by Prime News Ghana. At InstinctWave, she worked on business content, playing major role in events organized by the company. She also worked with ABC News GH, updating their site, served as Production Assistant. In 2025, Ruth completed the ECOWAS, GIZ, and MFWA Information Integrity training. Email: ruth.sekyi@yen.com.gh
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