The Government of Ghana in 1990 recognising the havoc caused by illicit narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances ratified the three (3) major United Nations Conventions on drugs aimed at addressing the world drug problem. These Conventions are:

  1. The 1961 single Convention on Narcotics Drugs as amended by the 1972 protocol.

  2. The 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

  3. The 1988 Convention against illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

In the same year, the Government of Ghana promulgated the Narcotic Drug (Control, Enforcement and Sanction) Law, 1990, also known as PNDC Law 236, in accordance with the United Nation Conventions and Protocols. Section 55 of PNDC Law 236 established NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD (NACOB) as the lead and coordinating agency in Ghana for addressing the drug problem.

Mr Kofi Bentum Quantson, the first Executive Secretary of NACOB started the operations of NACOB with fifteen (15) officers. NACOB operated from the PNDC liaison officer at Kanda, behind the then Accra Zoo. In 1994, the office was relocated to the premises of the ministry of the interior. In 2006, the office was again relocated to its current office complex situate at Airways Avenue, Airport Residential Area.

The first Board Chairman of NACOB was Mr. C. K. Mawuenyega, then Deputy Secretary for the Interior. Naval Captain Baffour Asaase Gyimah (retired) was the Chairman of the last governing board of NACOB (2009 – 2014), during the tenure of Mr. Yaw Akrasi-Sarpong (Esq) as the Executive Secretary.

TRANSFORMATION FROM NACOB TO NACOC

On Friday, 20th March, 2020, the Parliament of Ghana passed the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019) following series of Stakeholder Consultations and Parliamentary Scrutiny and Procedures. It was assented to by His Excellency the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo On Monday, 11th May, 2020.

Act 1019 (2020) subsequently repealed PNDC Law 236 (1990). Section 1 of Act 1019 (2020) establishes Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to replace Narcotics Control Board (NACOB).

On the inauguration of the Governing Board, Mr. J. Kaiffe Mensah becomes the first Board Chairman of NACOC, with Mr. Francis Kofi Torkornoo being the first Director-General.

Currently, the Director-General of NACOC is Mr. Kenneth Adu-Amanfoh.