The Minority Caucus in Parliament has filed a motion seeking a review of the Speaker’s September 29, 2026 ruling that dismissed a request for a parliamentary inquiry into major international drug seizures linked to Ghana.
Minority Leader Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin said the move, initiated under Standing Order 127 of Parliament’s Standing Orders, was aimed at defending Parliament’s constitutional oversight responsibilities and ensuring that public institutions remained accountable for their actions.
Speaking at a media briefing ahead of Parliament’s resumption for the Third Meeting of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament, Mr Afenyo-Markin said the Minority had a duty to challenge decisions that raised concerns about the legislature’s powers and its ability to scrutinise public institutions.
“We respect the office of the Speaker and recognise the constitutional responsibility entrusted to it. However, respect for the office does not require silence when it raises a serious question about the constitutional powers of Parliament and the ability of elected representatives to demand accountability from public institutions,” he said.
The review follows the Speaker’s dismissal of a Private Members’ Motion seeking an inquiry into major narcotic seizures linked to Ghana and alleged institutional, regulatory and executive failures that may have facilitated them.
Mr Afenyo-Markin emphasised that the proposed inquiry was not intended to interfere with criminal investigations, determine the guilt or innocence of accused persons or compromise the independence of the judiciary.
Rather, he said, Parliament had a distinct responsibility to examine whether public institutions had discharged their duties, whether existing laws and regulatory arrangements were adequate and whether failures in public administration required corrective action.
“A criminal court determines whether an accused person has committed an offence, whereas Parliament examines whether public institutions have discharged their responsibilities,” he said.
He argued that pending criminal proceedings should not automatically prevent Parliament from investigating institutional weaknesses that might have allowed large quantities of narcotics to pass through Ghana’s ports and borders.
“The prosecution of individuals, however necessary, cannot absolve the government of its responsibility to account for the institutional and regulatory weaknesses that have facilitated these incidents,” he said.
The Minority Leader cited several major drug seizures involving consignments reportedly originating from Ghana, including a 3.9-tonne cocaine interception concealed in plastic waste, as evidence of the need for a parliamentary examination of port security and cargo inspection systems.
He questioned the effectiveness of customs controls, intelligence coordination and the institutions responsible for safeguarding the country’s ports and borders.
Mr Afenyo-Markin challenged the government to explain why international drug traffickers continued to exploit Ghana’s commercial channels, insisting that the public deserved more than announcements of investigations.
“Protecting our borders is a basic responsibility of government,” he said, adding that ministers owed the country honest answers, corrective action and results.
While acknowledging the work of officers involved in intercepting narcotics and pursuing traffickers, he said their efforts could not excuse failures in supervision, institutional coordination and political leadership.
He warned that repeated drug seizures linked to Ghana could damage the country’s international reputation and raise concerns about the effectiveness of its security systems.
The Minority Leader said the caucus intended to pursue the review while respecting the authority of the Speaker and the independence of the judiciary.
By: Christian Kpesese
