Ten NPP Members of Parliament, led by Habib Iddrisu, have filed a private members' motion seeking a parliamentary inquiry into recent major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana. The motion, filed on September 28, was submitted under Standing Order 102 and seeks the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to conduct a full-scale bipartisan inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the seizures. The MPs are calling for a probe into the reported seizure of 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine by French Customs at Dunkirk on September 10, valued at US$261 million.
The motion cites several other narcotics-related incidents linked to Ghana, including the seizure of 320kg of methamphetamine by Australian Border Force on June 18, valued at US$208 million. Additionally, the MPs mentioned a US$150 million cocaine interception in Takoradi in March 2025 and a US$350 million cocaine interception at Pedu in Cape Coast in the same month. The proposed committee would investigate these incidents and any other narcotics-related seizures linked to Ghana since the inception of the Ninth Parliament.
The proposed inquiry would examine the port of departure and security procedures, including intelligence profiling, scanning, inspection, and customs clearance processes applied to the consignments. It would also investigate the identities and roles of companies, agencies, and other entities involved in processing and clearing the consignments, subject to legitimate restrictions arising from ongoing criminal investigations. The MPs are seeking a bipartisan probe to uncover the circumstances under which the narcotics consignments were processed, inspected, cleared, and exported from Ghana.
The motion comes after the Minority previously petitioned Speaker Alban Bagbin to recall Parliament from recess over urgent national security concerns arising from major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana. The Speaker subsequently summoned Parliament to sit on September 29, at noon under Article 112(3) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 53 of the Standing Orders. This development indicates the growing concern among lawmakers about the narcotics seizures and their potential impact on national security.
Habib Iddrisu, the First Deputy Minority Whip and Member of Parliament for Tolon, is leading the effort to push for a parliamentary inquiry. He is joined by nine other NPP MPs, including Rev John Ntim Fordjour, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, and Kojo Oppong Nkrumah. The MPs are seeking to uncover the truth behind the recent narcotics seizures and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
The recent narcotics seizures linked to Ghana have raised concerns about the country's role in the global narcotics trade. The seizures have also highlighted the need for improved security measures to prevent the export of narcotics from Ghana. The proposed parliamentary inquiry would provide an opportunity for lawmakers to examine the current security measures and identify areas for improvement.
The parliamentary inquiry, if approved, would provide a platform for the MPs to probe into the circumstances surrounding the narcotics seizures and identify those responsible. The inquiry would also provide an opportunity for the government to demonstrate its commitment to tackling the narcotics trade and ensuring national security. The outcome of the inquiry would be eagerly awaited by the public and would likely have significant implications for the country's fight against narcotics.
Key points
- The motion seeks a bipartisan probe into recent major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana.
- The proposed committee would investigate the circumstances surrounding the seizures and other narcotics-related incidents linked to Ghana since the beginning of the Ninth Parliament.
- The inquiry would examine the port of departure and security procedures applied to the consignments, as well as the identities and roles of companies and agencies involved in processing and clearing the consignments.
