Parliament suspended its sessions indefinitely on Tuesday after the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, rejected a motion from the Minority caucus seeking to set up an Ad Hoc committee to investigate recent drug busts.
The emergency sitting was called to discuss the motion filed by Habib Iddrisu, the First Deputy Minority Whip and Member of Parliament for Tolon. The motion aimed to probe several major narcotics seizures, including the interception of 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine by French Customs at Dunkirk on September 10, 2026, valued at $261 million. It also referred to the seizure of 320 kilograms of methamphetamine by the Australian Border Force on June 18, 2026, and cocaine interceptions in Takoradi and Pedu in Cape Coast in March 2025.
The proposed committee was to investigate how these consignments were processed and cleared in Ghana, focusing on the ports where they departed, as well as the intelligence profiling, scanning, physical inspections, and customs procedures involved. It also sought to identify companies, state agencies, and other entities involved in these processes, while respecting the limits of ongoing criminal investigations.
Furthermore, the inquiry would examine Ghana’s security systems at ports, airports, and other entry and exit points, including scanning, surveillance, and intelligence capabilities. The Minority also wanted Parliament to review the status of investigations, arrests, and prosecutions linked to these drug seizures and assess cooperation between Ghanaian authorities and international law enforcement.
After heated debate, Speaker Bagbin dismissed the motion as inadmissible under several Standing Orders, including 5, 6, 103 rue F, Order 192, and Order 233. He delivered the ruling firmly: "It is inadmissible under Standing Orders 5, 6, 103 rue F, Order 192 and Order 233 and I accordingly dismiss this motion in limine."
When the Minority leader attempted to comment on the dismissal, Bagbin cut him off, saying he would not allow any reaction to his ruling. "Minority leader, I am aware of similar situations in the past in these matters. If that is where you want to take us back, I am sorry I can’t give you the position. I am sorry I will not give you the opportunity. You cannot react on what I have ruled."
He then adjourned the House until further notice without further discussion.
The motion’s rejection comes amid growing public concern over drug trafficking and the effectiveness of Ghana’s drug control measures. The seizures cited in the motion involved shipments intercepted not only abroad but also within Ghanaian ports, raising questions about local security and customs procedures.
Habib Iddrisu’s motion reflected calls within Parliament to scrutinize the handling of these high-profile cases, especially the processes that allowed such large quantities of narcotics to enter or leave the country. The motion’s scope suggested a wide-ranging inquiry into state agencies’ roles and the international cooperation behind the seizures.
Despite the Minority’s push, the Speaker’s ruling effectively halted any parliamentary investigation into these drug busts for now. The adjournment leaves the issue unresolved in the legislative chamber, with no timeline for when Parliament might resume or revisit the matter.
The decision has renewed debate on the limits of parliamentary oversight in security matters and the balance between open inquiry and ongoing criminal investigations. For now, the heavy seizures and their circumstances remain under the radar of Ghana’s lawmakers.
According to 3News.
