By Savannah Pokuaah Duah
Communications Director and Spokesperson for the United Party (UP), Solomon Owusu, has welcomed the recent arrest of a notorious drug “queen” in Budumburam by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) but warned that arrests without successful prosecution will do little to stem the growing drug crisis threatening Ghana’s youth.
Speaking on GTV’s Breakfast Show on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, Owusu stressed that while law enforcement action is commendable, the real challenge lies in what happens after suspects are arrested.
“The buck of the human job does not end with arrest. Someone must prosecute, and that is where the problem mostly is,” he said.
Owusu questioned the integrity of the criminal justice process, citing past incidents where seized cocaine allegedly went missing while in police custody, raising serious concerns about public safety and trust in state institutions.
“If the very institution we run to for protection is where cocaine turns into something else, how are we assured of safety?” he asked.
He painted a grim picture of the impact of drug abuse on young people, particularly those between the ages of 20 and 25, describing the situation as “mind-boggling” and destructive to the nation’s future.
“If you move around at night, especially on weekends, you will understand the enormity of what we are dealing with,” Owusu noted. “We are destroying the future of this country because of drugs.”
According to him, drug abuse has contributed significantly to youth unemployment, as many young people have lost interest in learning trades or engaging in apprenticeship programmes.
“The youth are no longer interested in learning any trade because they are constantly high,” he explained. “How do you expect someone who is hyper all night to have the discipline to learn a skill?”
Owusu further linked drug addiction to rising petty crime, explaining that addicted youth often resort to stealing car batteries, side mirrors, and other valuables to fund their habits.
“They are always looking for money to buy the drug. That is why your car battery disappears overnight,” he said.
Raising further concerns, Owusu referenced a past incident in the Takoradi area, where a police officer was allegedly apprehended for leading the sale of a drug locally known as “red,” questioning the safety of citizens when some security personnel are implicated.
“If some of the security authorities themselves are involved, then how safe are we?” he asked.
While acknowledging that the Budumburam raid was a step in the right direction, Owusu cautioned against celebrating arrests that do not result in convictions.
“What do we benefit if we arrest so-called kingpins only for them to be released and return to the same business?” he queried. “That does not solve anything.”
He called for sustained action, strict prosecution, and institutional accountability to ensure the country is rid of what he described as a “terrible episode.”
“We must keep fighting and keep pushing,” Owusu concluded, “so that we rid this nation of this dangerous menace confronting us today.”
