The third conference of the West African Joint Operation (WAJO) initiative opened in Accra yesterday. The initiative is aimed at evolving practical measures to deal with the drug trafficking and menace in the west Africa subregion.

The conference was formally opened by the minister responsible for the interior, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor. He said, from being classified as a transit zone in the drug trafficking trade, the subregion is currently described as a warehouse for narcotic drugs and may soon become a major consuming centre. Dr Addo Kufuor, who is also the minister of defence, called on governments in the subregion to block such prospects at all costs...

The minister noted that trafficking cartels undermine the sovereignty of governments; weakens and distort national economy and generate serious domestic violence...

Dr Addo Kufuor called for strategies to prosecute major international drug traffickers and outlawing of drug trafficking organizations through active cooperation with the governments...

The minister said that the Joint Operations Initiative must help to eradicate illegal drug crops and encourage alternate crops development in collaboration with relevant government ministries and agencies...