Deputy Minority Chief Whip Habib Iddrisu has questioned Speaker Alban Bagbin's decision to reject a Minority motion seeking a parliamentary inquiry into recent major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana. The Tolon MP expressed his surprise on Joy News' PM Express, stating that he was convinced the Speaker would admit the motion, especially after recalling Parliament from recess. The Minority had petitioned the Speaker to recall Parliament over concerns arising from major drug seizures involving consignments linked to Ghana.
The recall was triggered in part by the seizure of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at France's Port of Dunkirk from a container that had departed Ghana. The Minority said the developments raised questions about Ghana's ports, customs controls, intelligence gathering, and narcotics enforcement. Speaker Bagbin subsequently summoned Parliament for an extraordinary sitting on September 29 under Article 112(3) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 53 of the Standing Orders.
Ahead of the sitting, Mr Iddrisu filed a private members' motion seeking an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the narcotics seizures and the circumstances surrounding consignments linked to Ghana. However, Speaker Bagbin rejected the motion during Tuesday's sitting. Mr Iddrisu said the decision was difficult for him to understand because, in his view, the motion reflected the same concerns contained in the memorandum that led to Parliament being recalled.
Mr Iddrisu noted that the motion was not different from the reference in the memorandum that actually seeks for Parliament to be recalled. He said the Speaker had prior knowledge or information for the reason for a recall. The Deputy Minority Chief Whip acknowledged the Speaker's authority over the admission of motions but expressed his disappointment at the decision.
The Speaker's decision to reject the motion has sparked debate, with some arguing that it undermines Parliament's ability to investigate critical issues. Mr Iddrisu's comments reflect concerns that the rejection may hinder efforts to address potential weaknesses in Ghana's ports and customs controls. The issue has raised questions about the effectiveness of Ghana's narcotics enforcement and intelligence gathering.
In response to the Speaker's decision, some MPs have drawn parallels with a similar case in Kpandai, suggesting that the Speaker's ruling may be at odds with parliamentary precedent. The rejection of the motion has also sparked concerns about the potential impact on public trust in Parliament. The Minority had argued that the developments raised serious questions about Ghana's ports and customs controls.
The controversy surrounding the Speaker's decision highlights the challenges facing Parliament in addressing critical issues. The effectiveness of Ghana's narcotics enforcement and intelligence gathering will likely remain a topic of debate. Key points: Habib Iddrisu questions Speaker Bagbin's rejection of a motion seeking a parliamentary inquiry into recent major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana. The motion was rejected despite Parliament being recalled from recess to address concerns arising from major drug seizures involving consignments linked to Ghana. The decision has sparked debate and concerns about the effectiveness of Ghana's narcotics enforcement and intelligence gathering.
Key points
- Deputy Minority Chief Whip Habib Iddrisu expresses surprise at Speaker Alban Bagbin's rejection of a motion seeking a parliamentary inquiry into recent major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana.
