The Minority is pushing back against Speaker Alban Bagbin’s rejection of its proposed probe into drug trafficking, filing a motion to have the Speaker’s September 29 ruling reviewed.
The motion, filed by First Deputy Minority Whip and Tolon MP Habib Iddrisu under Standing Order 127, challenges a September 29, 2026 ruling that declared the proposed inquiry inadmissible.
Speaker Bagbin had cited concerns that a parliamentary investigation could prejudice ongoing criminal proceedings involving about 21 people across four separate narcotics-related cases.
But addressing the media ahead of Parliament’s resumption on Tuesday, November 3, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin argued that pending prosecutions should not prevent Parliament from examining possible institutional failures that allow drug trafficking to persist.
He stressed that the Minority’s proposed inquiry was not intended to determine the guilt or innocence of accused persons but to assess the effectiveness of Ghana’s systems for preventing illicit drug trafficking.
Afenyo-Markin pointed to several major cocaine seizures linked to Ghana, including the interception of about 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at France’s Port of Dunkirk on September 7, 2026.
The shipment, reportedly concealed in a consignment of plastic waste originating from Ghana, was valued at approximately €225 million.
He also cited seizures in Amsterdam, Antwerp and Sydney, alongside suspected interceptions at Tema Harbour and Pedu Junction.
According to the Minority Leader, the incidents raise questions about port security, cargo inspections, customs controls and intelligence coordination.
He maintained that criminal prosecutions and parliamentary oversight serve different purposes, arguing that the courts determine individual criminal liability while Parliament examines the performance of public institutions and identifies gaps requiring corrective action.
Afenyo-Markin said the motion was not an attempt to challenge the authority of the Speaker but a move to protect Parliament’s constitutional oversight responsibilities.
The Minority insists that its proposed inquiry should proceed independently of the ongoing criminal cases, with its focus limited to institutional and regulatory weaknesses in Ghana’s fight against drug trafficking.
