By Issah Olegor
The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has called on the government to immediately suspend the bilateral visa-waiver and maritime cooperation arrangements with Colombia, citing growing concerns over cocaine trafficking and national security.
In a statement issued on October 1, 2026, the Minority said the recent surge in large-scale cocaine seizures linked to Ghana had raised serious questions about the country’s security environment and the integrity of its ports.
According to the Caucus, the concerns have become more urgent following the government’s decision earlier this year to establish a mutual visa-waiver arrangement with Colombia and conclude a maritime trade arrangement connecting the Port of Tema with the Port of Cartagena.
The Minority referenced the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report 2026, published in June, which it said identifies Colombia as the world’s leading departure country for cocaine shipments, with the majority of such consignments transported by sea.
The Caucus also cited a JoyNews report dated September 29, 2026, which reported that Belgian authorities 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.
The Minority said it was particularly concerned that Ghana was reportedly the only African country, and the only country outside Southern and Central America, among the top five countries identified in the report it cited.
Against this background, the Minority argued that the combination of repeated cocaine interceptions linked to Ghana and the new arrangements with Colombia warranted a comprehensive national-security assessment.
“At a time when multi-tonne consignments of cocaine linked to Ghana are repeatedly being intercepted, both within the country and abroad,” the Caucus said, prudence and good governance required a thorough assessment of the bilateral arrangements before they continued in operation.
The Minority further argued that the recent drug seizures had already raised concerns about the integrity of Ghana’s ports and affected the country’s international standing. It therefore urged the government not to proceed with the bilateral arrangements until the associated security risks had been properly examined and addressed.
Three demands to government
The Minority has consequently called for three immediate measures.
First, it wants the government to suspend the implementation of the Ghana-Colombia bilateral visa-waiver arrangement.
Second, it is demanding the suspension of the maritime and port cooperation arrangements between the two countries.
Third, the Caucus wants the entire framework, including the visa-waiver agreement, to undergo a comprehensive security review before Parliament.
The Minority said Ghana’s ports must continue to serve as gateways for legitimate international trade rather than becoming channels through which international criminal networks could operate.
It also stressed that the security of Ghana’s borders, the integrity of state institutions and the country’s international reputation should remain central considerations in decisions involving international cooperation.
