The Minority in Ghana's Parliament has petitioned Speaker Alban Bagbin to recall the House from recess to address urgent national concerns arising from a series of major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana. The petition, signed by First Deputy Minority Whip Habib Iddrisu, invokes Article 112(3) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 53 of the Standing Orders of Parliament. The Minority claims to have secured the required 15% of Members of Parliament needed to trigger an extraordinary sitting.
A recent seizure by French authorities of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Dunkirk on September 10, 2026, is at the centre of the petition. The cocaine was concealed in a container carrying plastic waste that had departed Ghana. The Minority says this incident raises questions about the security and integrity of Ghana's ports and export systems, customs controls, intelligence gathering, and narcotics enforcement.
The Minority is asking Parliament to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shipment and examine broader institutional and security issues arising from recent narcotics-related incidents. They want to know how the container was processed, inspected, cleared, and exported from Ghana, as well as the port or facility through which it departed. The MPs are also seeking information on the companies and institutions involved in processing and clearing the consignment.
The petition cites other major drug-related incidents since 2025, including the interception of more than 3.3 tonnes of cocaine at Pedu Junction in Cape Coast in March 2025. Another consignment of about 120 slabs of cocaine was reportedly intercepted along the Takoradi-Cape Coast Highway. The Minority also referenced the seizure of 866 parcels of suspected cocaine at a warehouse within the Tema Harbour enclave in August 2026.
The Minority has raised concerns about the progress of investigations into the 2025 Pedu Junction cocaine seizure. Over a year after the seizure, only the driver, a housemaid, and a few other suspects described as peripheral actors have been arraigned and remain on bail. The caucus is questioning why the alleged financiers and principal traffickers behind the consignment have not been identified or prosecuted.
The Minority argues that the issues cannot reasonably await the ordinary resumption of Parliament due to their implications for national security, public safety, Ghana's international reputation, and the integrity of the country's ports and borders. They stress that the proposed parliamentary inquiry is not intended to prejudge the guilt of any individual or interfere with ongoing criminal investigations.
The petition was submitted on behalf of the MPs by Habib Iddrisu, First Deputy Minority Whip and MP for Tolon. The Minority is asking the Speaker to summon Parliament within the constitutionally prescribed period, facilitate parliamentary deliberations, and, where appropriate, institute an inquiry into the incidents and the effectiveness of the relevant security, regulatory, and narcotics enforcement institutions.
Key points
- The Minority in Parliament has petitioned Speaker Alban Bagbin to recall the House from recess to address urgent national concerns arising from major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana.
- The petition cites several major drug-related incidents since 2025, including the seizure of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Dunkirk in France.
- The Minority is seeking a parliamentary inquiry into the incidents and the effectiveness of Ghana's security, regulatory, and narcotics enforcement institutions.
