Minority Challenges Bagbin’s Decision to Dismiss Narcotics Inquiry

Afenyo-Markin rejects Bagbin’s ruling on narcotics probe

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has rejected Speaker Alban Bagbin’s decision to dismiss a Minority motion seeking a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana.

Mr Afenyo-Markin argued that the Speaker erred by relying on ongoing criminal proceedings to determine the scope of Parliament’s proposed inquiry.

He maintained that the existence of cases before the courts should not prevent Parliament from investigating broader institutional and systemic issues surrounding the handling of narcotics consignments.

Mr Bagbin ruled on Tuesday, September 29, that the motion was inadmissible because the proposed inquiry substantially overlapped with matters before the courts and could prejudice pending judicial proceedings.

Reacting to the ruling, Mr Afenyo-Markin said the Speaker had improperly applied the existence of the criminal cases to Parliament’s oversight responsibilities.

“Mr. Speaker, therefore, got it wrong by using existing pending criminal proceedings to determine the scope and manner of the inquiry,” he said.

The Minority Leader insisted that Parliament’s oversight mandate should remain effective despite ongoing court proceedings, stressing that the proposed investigation was focused on public institutions and systems rather than determining the criminal liability of individuals.

He said the Minority would continue to pursue the matter, describing effective parliamentary oversight as essential to Ghana’s democracy.

“The image of our country is on trial,” he said.

“We, the minority, we’ll proceed on this path because democracy requires a strong Parliament. A strong Parliament requires an effective minority. A super-majority must never become an excuse to weaken the minority, silence scrutiny, or diminish Parliament’s duty to oversight.”

Mr Afenyo-Markin further warned that weakening Parliament’s oversight role could undermine accountability and reduce checks on the exercise of power by state institutions.

“When Parliament is weakened, our accountability is weakened, and the institutions of state are left with fewer checks on the exercise of power,” he said.

The motion, filed by First Deputy Minority Whip and Tolon MP Habib Iddrisu on September 28, sought the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate how major narcotics consignments were processed, inspected, cleared and exported from Ghana.

Among the incidents cited were the seizure of 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine at France’s Port of Dunkirk on September 10, 2026, and the seizure of 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine by the Australian Border Force in June 2026.

However, Mr Bagbin said the proposed inquiry could require Parliament to examine evidence, witnesses, conduct and questions of responsibility directly connected to matters before the courts.

He consequently ruled the private members’ motion inadmissible under Standing Orders 5, 6 and 103, Sub-Rule F.