NDC Most Guilty In Politicizing Cocaine Issues - Kweku Baako

Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide, Kweku Baako has advised government officials to stop reading partisan meanings into the recent cocaine bust at Heathrow Airport in London. Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo", Kweku Baako stressed the need for the parties, particularly the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), to desist from tagging the cocaine issue to the NPP. Alluding to the infamous MV Benjamin cocaine brouhaha, Kweku Baako recounted that as the Kufour government interdicted some top officials of the Narcotics Control Board in order to unearth the truth in the cocaine dealings, the NDC officials were busily roping the Kufour administration in the cocaine business. On 26th April 2006, a fishing vessel christened MV Benjamin carrying 77 parcels of cocaine docked at the Tema Harbour and the parcels offloaded into two canoes which sailed under the cover of darkness to Kpone Paradise Beach. The parcels of cocaine, each containing 30kgs, were said to have gone missing when some Police personnel tasked on a tip-off to arrest culprits were induced with money. This became the fuss under Kufour's government and indeed the opposition exacted their pound of flesh. Addressing the politicization of cocaine issues in the country, Mr. Baako stressed that the drug business does not pertain to a particular government. �This is a phenomenon that has cut across our history and it has been affecting us as a people and as a nation. It is not right for us to encourage any further and we have set up institutions that they should fight and combat this particular thing.� According to him, though the Kufour government took some pragmatic steps to clamp down on the culprits, "that was no action in the eyes of our NDC friends. For them, government was encouraging the trade. Government was encouraging people who were engaged in it�It was seen as evidence without commitment.� In his estimation, the NDC is the "most guilty" when it comes to the culture of painting cocaine issues with party colours, and so, advised that it will be in the interest of the nation for them to �back off that path so that we can all forge a consensus and fight this particular phenomenon.�