West Africa must confront political weaknesses to curb drugs trade -Obasanjo

Accra - West Africa must openly confront its
political and governance weaknesses to curb the
growing drug trade in the region, former President
Olusegun Obasanjo said on Wednesday.
"West Africa is no longer only a transit zone of
drugs but an attractive destination where pushers
take advantage of the weak political system to
perpetuate their trade," Obasanjo, who chairs the
West Africa Commission on Drugs (WACD), said
while presenting his report to Ghana's President
John Mahama.
"We believe that we should confront openly the
political and governance weaknesses which the
traffickers exploit," Obasanjo said.
Also Read: West African experts call for drugs
decriminalisation
Former United Nations chief Kofi Annan set up the
commission last year to explore ways to stem the
increasing trafficking of drugs and its use in the
region.
West Africa has long produced and consumed
cannabis but its collection of weak states has
over the last decade become a major transit zone
for Latin American cocaine destined for Europe.
Heroin from Asia is also passing through the
region.
Drugs are undermining the stability of West
African countries and their development, "eating
not only into the normal life of our youth, but it's
eating into our political system and governance,"
Obasanjo said.
In its report released in June, the commission
called on governments in West Africa to
decriminalise drug use and treat the issue as a
health problem.
Obasanjo said because of the amount of money
involved, "drug barons can buy, they can do, and
they can undo - buy officials in the military,
security and pervert justice."
Annan said wrong-headed governmental policies
by leaders and influential people in society have
destroyed many more lives in West Africa than
drug use.
WACD has 11 members including former
President Pedro Pires of Cape Verde and former
Togolese Prime Minister Edem Kojo.