ACCRA
Procedures
The Narcotics Coordinator and the RSO visited Ghana’s Narcotics Control Board (NCB) headquarters, the local police, and the Custom Services regularly.
Post has two approved agreements to fund narcotics and law enforcement activities. The LOA’s were approved by the Ghanaian Parliament in December 2001. No commodities have yet been provided. Post has just begun the process of consultation with Government of Ghana (GOG) officials on agreed upon items to be purchased and program to be commenced.
Status
Discontinued Equipment
Most equipment (cameras, microphones, minirecorders, investigation kit, night vision scope, motorcycles, radios, etc.) provided to Ghana's NCB, police and Customs Service has reached the end of its useful life and will no longer be monitored.
Miscellaneous Equipment
An air conditioner and two four-drawer safes and video camera are in the custody of the NCB and remain operational.
Impact
The impact of support will be assessed as new commodities and services are provided.
COTONOU
Procedures
The post Narcotics Oofficer visited the police station on several occasions during the past year. The Government of Benin (GOB) provides periodic reports on the use of all commodities.
Status
Pursuant to a Letter of Agreement between the GOB and the USG, the USG provided 15 Motorola Visar radios and one thousand drug testing kits to Benin Anti-narcotics officials. The radios were distributed to the Benin National Drug Interdiction Office and various antidrug squads. The radios are currently being used and maintained properly. The majority of kits have been expended.
Post received two Itemizer chemical detectors for installation at the international airport in Cotonou to assist security-screening personnel. They are presently stored at the GSO warehouse. When the units are installed, post will work with GOB security personnel to determine the most effective way of monitoring the use of these resources.
Impact
The resources have been extensively used daily. The resources have significantly contributed to the GOB antinarcotics mission.
LAGOS
Procedures
The Embassy's Narcotics and Law Enforcement Officer (RNLEO) conducted an unannounced inspection of most items at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) headquarters in Lagos. The NDLEA was extremely cooperative.
Status
Communications Equipment
Many of the hand-held radios provided to the NDLEA in 1992 are not functioning due to broken antennas and/or dead batteries. They are nearing the end of their useful life and will be discarded.
Vehicles
Twelve Honda CG-125 motorcycles were provided to the NDLEA in 1999. They have been distributed to the field.
Miscellaneous Equipment
The following non-expendable commodities were received by NDLEA: file cabinets (6); desks (2); leather chairs (2); RICOH fax machines (2); ICOM radio chargers (12); Wang printer (1); ICOM radios (3); Optiquest UPS (3); sharp photocopy machine (1); Sanyo split air conditioners (4); video machines (4); Sharp multi-system TV (1); Panasonic TV (1); Sony handicam (1); Panasonic Camcorder (1); microsette tape recorders (5); answering machines (2); Panasonic telephones (10); voltage regulators (4); Honda motorcycles (12).
Of this equipment, the following was misappropriated by NDLEA chairmen: Sony VHSX 715 VCR (1); Panasonic camcorder (1); microsette recorders (4); answering machine (1); voltage regulator (1); Sony handicam. The Office of the current NDLEA chairman is attempting to recover the equipment. The two chairmen who misappropriated the equipment have been censored and the NDLEA privileges removed.
Impact
The commodity assistance provided to NDLEA significantly promoted bilateral cooperation on counternarcotics. The imminent formation of a Special investigations Unit reflects the level of that cooperation.
LOME
Procedures
No inspections were conducted in 2001.
Status
Radio Equipment
The Judiciary Police seldom use their four radios because there is no repeater system. The radios are sitting in the warehouse. They are ineffective in the city and have little use in urban undeveloped areas.
Vehicle
The vehicle provided to the Judiciary Police in 1993 is no longer in use.
Miscellaneous Equipment
The air conditioning unit in the office of the Narcotics chief is still functioning.
Impact
The equipment provided has had little impact on narcotics interdiction. impact of the drug identification kits on the anti-narcotics program is unknown at this time. All of the equipment has outlived its useful life and will be removed from inventory.
LUSAKA
Procedures
The Drug Enforcement Commission provided reports on the resources provided. They were very cooperative.
Status
Twenty-four (24) drug identification kits were provided to the Zambian Drug Enforcement Commission. The kits are deployed to Zambian border posts and international airports.
Impact
The impact of the drug identification kits on the anti-narcotics program is unknown at this time.
NAIROBI
Procedures
The Anti-Narcotics Officer physically inspected some of the equipment in 2001. The Anti-Narcotics Officer re-interviewed the head of Kenya’s Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) and discussed in detail the disposition of INL-provided equipment. The ANU provides ready access to the equipment upon request.
Status
Vehicles
Three of the four motorcycles donated to the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) in 1997 remain in excellent condition. They are awaiting registration, and will be used at vulnerable border points in narcotics trafficking in Isebania, Lunga Lunga, Taveta and Namanga. The fourth motorcycle is at ANU headquarters and is no longer functioning.
Miscellaneous Equipment
Cameras (2), microssette recorders (4), binoculars (2), and video cameras (5) have been disseminated among the ANU posts. Most of the video and audio surveillance equipment donated in 1997 is maintained at ANU headquarters. Some equipment is in use at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), at ANU’s post office Intelligence Unit, and at ANU’s Mombasa office. All equipment remains in good working condition. The two VHF radios are no longer functioning. They are housed at the ANU headquarters.
Computer Equipment
Two of the three IBM PC 350 computers with printers, modems, and networking cards are at ANU headquarters; the other is in use at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). They are old but functioning.
Impact
ANU has found the donated motorcycles to be particularly useful in their interdiction efforts, as transportation resources are in short supply within the Government of Kenya. The ANU has deployed the motorcycles sensibly, with a view to maximizing unit effectiveness. Donated computers have likewise had a direct and measurable impact on ANU’s efficiency. ANU readily provides complete statistics on narcotics seizures and arrests, using computers donated by the USG. The computers are also used increasingly for Internet communication between the ANU and colleagues outside Kenya. ANU states that it has used donated surveillance equipment in several successful operations.
PRAIA
Procedures
Since the international airport is a major re-fueling point for VIP travel to other parts of Africa, embassy officers are regularly present at the airport. Additionally, Secret Service and other U.S. security officials have been on-site at the airport to observe the operation of the X-ray machine.
Status
The X-ray machine provided to the airport authority in 1992 is inoperable and has been moved into storage. Local technicians have been unable to find the problem or repair the equipment to date. The machine has reached the end of its useful life. It played a role in the fight to stem the follow of narcotics. Post will provide instructions to airport authorities to dispose of the equipment.
YAOUNDE
Procedures
The U.S. Government and the Government of Cameroon (GRC) signed a bilateral anti-narcotics agreement in 1992. Post presented three safes and three scales in 1997 to Cameroon’s Customs Service.
Status
One safe and one scale are currently being used by Cameroonian Customs at each of the country’s three international airports: Douala, Yaounde, and Garoua.
