... Was released because he pleaded drug was for his personal use
..Has kept quiet, two weeks after Kofi Wayo?s challenge
A section of Ghanaians, especially some prominent members and sympathizers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), are getting worried and wondering if the ruling party had made a wise choice at the last December congress for voting for Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo as the party?s leader and Presidential candidate.

This situation is as a result of recent allegations and the challenge thrown the NPP Presidential candidate by Mr. Kofi Wayo, a former leading member of the NPP and now a leading member of the United Renaissance Party (URP) that the honourable Member of Parliament for Abuakwa is on drugs

Two weeks after Mr. Kofi Wayo had challenged him to submit himself for drug test to determine whether or not he is a drug addict, Nana Akufo Addo, the NPP 2008 Presidential candidate has kept quiet over the issue and would not comment about it. Not even his campaign team has dared come out openly to disabuse the minds of Ghanaians that Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo is a drug user.

But information reaching ?The Ghana Palaver? from the United States of America (USA) says during one of Nana Akufo Addo?s travels to the United States on duty as the Foreign Minister of Ghana, he was busted at the JFKennedy Airport for being in possession of some amount of cocaine.

When American Immigration and Customs officials questioned him, he pleaded with them for leniency and said the cocaine found on him was for his personal use.

Since Nana Akufo Addo was on a diplomatic passport and at the time a Minister of State, coupled with the fact that the American authorities allowed for personal use a certain amount of cocaine by both American citizens and foreigners, he was allowed to go.

Even though cocaine and its attendant problems are not new to Ghanaians, the trafficking of the substance and its use among Ghanaians have in recent times sky rocketed astronomically during President John Agyekum Kufuor and his party?s assumption of office in January 2001.

Only last week, the Commissioner of CEPS, Mr. Emmanuel Doku, in his interaction with the media during the observance of International Customs Day, observed that Ghana?s name on the World Customs Organization (WCO) drugs report is in itself very bad while drug usage and trafficking among Ghanaians, also poses a lot of challenge for the country and its security.

The CEPS Boss said drug trafficking and its use by a section of Ghanaians also poses a very unhealthy trend for the country because it increases the crime wave among the people, it lowers the credibility of the country in the eyes of the international community and promotes political instability.

It is for the reasons given by the CEPS Boss and the fact that when it comes to drugs, Ghana?s reputation in the eyes of the international community is at its lowest ebb, that some political observers have joined Mr. Kofi Wayo, in his call on Nana Akufo Addo to come clean on his use of drugs.

Some Ghanaians are worried the NPP Presidential candidate?s refusal to come clean on his drug use, would further tarnish the image of the country if he should become the president of Ghana, especially as he has been busted before in the United States (US).

Nana Akufo Addo?s drug use has been a worry for some members of his own political party and was evident during the campaigning for the party?s congress last year when text messages about his drug addiction were sent to almost all media houses in the country.

Some people who have known him very well, have attributed the loss of his teeth to his use of drugs, which they said is one of the attributes of drug usage and are calling on him and his campaign team, to stop playing ostrich.

The worry of majority of Ghanaians is, already drug trafficking and its use among Ghanaians is becoming a problem for the nation, with law enforcement agencies wasting national resources to stop the flow of drugs into the county but what happens if the President of the country is himself a drug user?

Also, what would be the relationship between drug barons and a President who is a drug user, knowing very well the way of life of people in drug prone countries of South America and the associated problems the people of these countries go through?

Nana Akufo Addo is currently in London, the United Kingdom, undergoing medical check-up, whilst the debate on his drug addiction status rage on with a large number of NPP supporters and his admirers wishing the allegations were false.

?Ghana Palaver? sources at Kokomlemle, the NPP headquarters, say the President, Mr. Kufuor is greatly worried and has blamed Mr. Allan ?cash? Kyeremanten and his campaign team for not doing much to get the nod of delegates at the last December congress.

Equally worried is the NPP?s Council of Elders, headed by Mr. Appiah-Menka, whose son was recently busted for swallowing 22 pallets of drug and had to be operated on by doctors at the Okomfo Anokye hospital in Kumasi. The question they are asking is what next, if the drug allegations about Nana Akufo Addo should stick in the minds of Ghanaians and become a big issue? Would the NPP go for another congress to elect a new Presidential candidate?

Time will tell as the investigations desk of ?The Ghana Palaver? continues its probe around the globe for more clues on whether or not the NPP Presidential candidate for this year?s elections, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo, is a drug addict. Stay tuned.