In the revealing documentary “Swallowed by Drugs,” Superintendent Mr. Godwin Kpakpoe Moi, Upper East Regional Crime Officer, sheds light on the multifaceted role of the Ghana Police Service in addressing drug and alcohol abuse, especially among the youth.

Supt. Moi emphasized that the police are not only focused on making arrests, but are engaged in a broad, strategic effort to prevent and reduce the consequences of drug abuse across the region. “Our work is layered,” he explained. “It involves intelligence, prevention, partnerships, and, importantly, protecting vulnerable groups such as the youth.”

A critical part of the police mandate is the enforcement of drug laws and the disruption of supply chains. Supt. Moi described how law enforcement agencies work to identify and dismantle the operations of drug producers, distributors, and traffickers. “We employ methods like surveillance, informant networks, undercover operations, controlled deliveries, and border checkpoints. The aim is to cut off the supply, because reducing the availability of drugs means fewer young people are exposed to them,” he noted.

When offenders are apprehended, the police seize drugs, chemicals, and other paraphernalia. In severe cases, assets such as vehicles and bank accounts used in trafficking are confiscated. These actions not only remove drugs from circulation but also disrupt the financial incentives driving the trade.

Recognizing that enforcement alone cannot solve the problem, Supt. Moi highlighted the importance of community policing. “We have become more receptive and open in our approach. We conduct outreach programs in schools, churches, mosques, youth clubs, markets, and lorry parks to educate people about the dangers of drug use and the tactics of dealers,” he said.

Through these outreach initiatives, the police inform the public about how drugs fuel crime and encourage citizens to report suspicious activities. They also work closely with schools, training teachers to spot early signs of drug use among students and establishing police-school liaison units to foster ongoing communication.

The police also collaborate with guidance counselors and social workers to direct at-risk youth toward help before addiction takes hold. “We are not therapists, but we play a key role in referring drug-dependent individuals to rehabilitation centers,” Supt. Moi explained. He stressed that not every case ends in prosecution; instead, the police support diversion programs, drug courts, and the reintegration of rehabilitated youth back into society.

Supt. Moi acknowledged the broader dangers of drug markets, which often attract violence, exploitation, fraud, and gang activity. “We work to remove dangerous individuals from the community, shut down drug dens, and patrol hospitals, schools, and community centers to keep them safe,” he said. The police also collaborate with health, education, and social welfare services, as well as with community and opinion leaders.

He cited international partnerships with organizations like Interpol and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which provide training and resources for local officers to better identify and tackle the drug problem.

Supt. Moi concluded his remarks with a call for ongoing collaboration. The challenges posed by substance abuse, he said, require joint efforts from law enforcement, healthcare, social services, educators, community leaders, and the public. “Our fight goes far beyond the arrest of suspects. It is about prevention, education, protection, and giving the youth a fighting chance for a healthy, productive future.”

His message in “Swallowed by Drugs” reflects the police service’s evolving approach—one that balances enforcement with compassion, and recognizes that solving the substance abuse crisis demands the involvement of the entire community.

Socrate Safo is a veteran Ghanaian filmmaker and entertainment pundit

Renowned filmmaker and entertainment pundit Socrate Safo has shared his thoughts on the debate over the constant featuring of foreign artistes (mainly Nigerians) as headliners in shows organised in Ghana.

According to him, such strategies are calculated and are aimed at maximising attendance, boosting tourism revenue, and elevating the international profile of Ghana’s December festival season.

Speaking in an interview with Graphic Showbiz, Safo described the features as a tit-for-tat affair, noting that it would also open the gates for Ghanaian acts to be featured on international stages.

“There is nothing really wrong with bringing in foreign artistes because we also want our artistes to go beyond our shores. And for that to happen, we need to create that platform for others, too. I see nothing wrong with it. It’s a two-way street,” Safo stated.

Music industry headed for same collapse as film – Socrate Safo warns

He emphasised that the presence of Nigerian stars expands the audience beyond Ghana’s borders, attracting regional fans and creating a reciprocal pathway for Ghanaian artists to access Nigeria’s vast and influential market.

“All these events were attended by Nigerians too. By having their artistes perform, we are essentially inviting their fanbase to travel here. From a business perspective, it’s the right move. This synergy creates a regional hub that benefits everyone in the ecosystem, from hospitality providers to local vendors,” he added.

His comments come after the recent Detty December/December-in-Ghana festivities which saw various Nigerian artistes, including Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Asake, Ayra Starr, and Rema, feature in shows under the Black Star Experience banner, such as the Tidal Rave, Taste of Culture, Ghana in Praise and AfroFuture.

This came as a surprise to many Ghanaians who expected the celebrations to spotlight Ghanaian artistes more heavily.

Beyond the headline debate, Socrate Safo commended the GTA and event organizers for the overall execution of the December in GH programme, describing it as successful and impactful.

“I think it went well, and I commend the organisers, especially the GTA. Yes, they did well,” Safo concluded.

ID/AE

President Donald Trump says the US needs to “own” Greenland to prevent Russia and China from doing so.

“Countries have to have ownership and you defend ownership; you don’t defend leases. And we’ll have to defend Greenland,” Trump told reporters on Friday, in response to a question from the BBC.

The US will do it “the easy way” or “the hard way”, he added. The White House recently said the administration was considering buying the semi-autonomous territory of fellow Nato member Denmark, but it would not rule out the option of annexing it by force.

Denmark and Greenland say the territory is not for sale. Denmark has said military action would spell the end of the trans-Atlantic defence alliance.

Greenland’s party leaders, including the opposition, reiterated their call for the “US’s disregard for our country to end” in a joint statement on Friday night.

“We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” they said. “The future of Greenland must be decided by the Greenlandic people.”

Despite being the most sparsely populated territory, Greenland’s location between North America and the Arctic makes it well placed for early warning systems in the event of missile attacks, and for monitoring vessels in the region.

The US president has repeatedly said that Greenland is vital to US national security, claiming without evidence that it was “covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place”.

The US already has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at its Pituffik base in Greenland’s north-western tip – a facility that has been operated by the US since World War Two.

Under existing agreements with Denmark, the US has the power to bring as many troops as it wants to Greenland.

But Trump told reporters in Washington that a lease agreement was not good enough.

“Countries can’t make nine-year deals or even 100-year deals,” he said, adding that they had to have ownership.

“I love the people of China. I love the people of Russia,” Trump said. “But I don’t want them as a neighbour in Greenland, not going to happen.

“And by the way, Nato’s got to understand that.”

Denmark’s Nato allies – major European countries as well as Canada – have rallied to its support this week with statements reaffirming that “only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters concerning their relations”.

Stressing they were as keen as the US on Arctic security, they have said this must be achieved by allies, including the US, “collectively”.

They also called for “upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders”.

Concerns over the future of the territory resurfaced after Trump’s use of military force against Venezuela on Saturday to seize its president, Nicolás Maduro.

Trump previously made an offer to buy the island in 2019, during his first presidential term, only to be told it was not for sale.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is to hold talks with Denmark next week.

In recent years, there has been increased interest in Greenland’s natural resources – including rare earth minerals, uranium and iron – which are becoming easier to access as its ice melts due to climate change. Scientists think it could also have significant oil and gas reserves.