The Majority Caucus in Parliament has dismissed claims that drug seizures linked to Ghana have become more rampant under the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), citing several incidents recorded under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
It has, however, pledged to support the Minority’s proposed motion seeking a parliamentary investigation into major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana, insisting that it is not running away from accountability.
Majority Leader, James Agalga, said the governing side was prepared to consider the proposed motions and could even support them if they were found to have merit and admitted by the Speaker in accordance with Parliament’s Standing Orders.
He was responding to concerns raised by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, over the recurrence of international drug seizures involving consignments reportedly originating from Ghana and suggestions that the Majority was unwilling to subject the government to parliamentary scrutiny.
Mr Afenyo-Markin had announced plans to invoke Standing Order 127 to seek a review of the Speaker’s September 29, 2026 ruling, which dismissed an earlier request for a parliamentary inquiry into major international narcotics seizures linked to Ghana.
Speaking at a media engagement ahead of Parliament’s resumption for the Third Meeting of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament, Mr Agalga said the Minority must first submit its proposed motions for the Speaker’s consideration.
He assured the Minority that the Majority would engage with the motions once they had been admitted.
“We are not running away from accountability. So if a motion has merit and it’s admitted by the Right Honourable Speaker in accordance with our Standing Orders, we shall take those motions and go through the procedures,” he said.
“When there is merit, we may even support them to ensure that their appropriate parliamentary tools are deployed for scrutiny,” he added.
Mr Agalga also challenged the suggestion that the current administration was experiencing an unprecedented pattern of drug seizures, arguing that similar incidents had occurred during the tenure of the previous NPP government.
He catalogued several drug seizure incidents recorded under the erstwhile administration to counter the Minority’s portrayal of the situation as a development peculiar to the NDC government.
He maintained that the occurrence of narcotics seizures should not be used to create the impression that the problem had emerged only under the current government.
The Majority Leader nevertheless emphasised that parliamentary oversight was a fundamental responsibility of the legislature and that the governing caucus would not shirk that responsibility.
“Oversight is one of the core functions of Parliament. The Majority will not run away from performing the functions of the legislative arm of Government,” he said.
The proposed Minority inquiry is expected to examine major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana, including alleged institutional and regulatory weaknesses that may have facilitated the movement of illicit drugs through the country’s ports and borders.
The Minority has argued that ongoing criminal investigations and prosecutions should not prevent Parliament from examining possible institutional failures, assessing the effectiveness of existing security arrangements and recommending corrective measures.
Constitutional amendments to dominate meeting
Mr Agalga also disclosed that the Constitutional Review Committee had completed its work, with several constitutional amendment bills expected to be laid before Parliament during the meeting.
He said the proposed amendments would cover both entrenched and non-entrenched provisions of the Constitution, making constitutional reform a major item on the House’s agenda.
“We will get very busy with those constitutional amendments. It’s a matter that will engage our attention even in this particular short meeting,” he said.
The Majority Leader further assured the public that the governing side would work to ensure that government business beyond the national budget also received attention during the meeting.
By Christian Kpesese
