The Chairperson of the South African Council of Elders for the governing  National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Benjamin Kofi Quashie, has sharply criticized Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, Member of Parliament for Assin South Constituency in the Central Region, over his recent cocaine allegations, describing them as politically motivated and lacking substance.

 Mr. Quashie questioned the motives behind Rev. Fordjour’s public comments and challenged him to present any credible evidence he has to the appropriate state authorities.

“If he has proof, let him hand it over to the State.

Otherwise, this is nothing more than diversion and propaganda,” Quashie stated, adding that if the government truly intended to act against Fordjour, "they would have picked him up long ago."

He revealed that the legal processes for addressing the matter are already underway and nearing completion. "The Speaker may be out of town, but that does not halt the machinery of due process," he emphasized.

Mr. Quashie also responded to comparisons made between Rev. Fordjour and North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa now Minister of Foreign Affairs, asserting that the two cases are not alike.

"Ablakwa raises issues backed by concrete evidence, while Rev. Fordjour chose to run to the media with unsubstantiated claims," he argued.

On the broader issue of drug-related controversies, Mr. Quashie cautioned the New Patriotic Party (NPP) against politicizing the matter.

He referenced past incidents under NPP governments, including the arrest and imprisonment of a sitting NPP MP for drug trafficking, as a reminder that the issue should not be used for political point-scoring.

“There’s no room for equalization here,” he said.

“It was under the NPP that an MP was jailed for drug offenses—he [Rev. Fordjour] knows that.

Let’s not pretend otherwise.”

Quashie concluded with a warning that politicizing drug trafficking would harm the nation as a whole.

“If the NPP thinks this will affect the NDC, they are mistaken.

It damages Ghana’s image, and the sooner they realize that, the better,” he stressed

He made these comments while speaking during newspaper review panel discussion on   Accra-Joy FM on Monday April 7, 2025