Ghana-linked drug seizures exceed US$1bn since 2025 – NPP

The Minority in Ghana's Parliament has asked Speaker Alban Bagbin to bring the House back from its recess to address urgent national concerns arising from several major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana. The petition, signed by First Deputy Minority Whip Habib Iddrisu, relies on Article 112(3) of the 1992 Constitution and Standing Orders Order 53. The Minority claims they have collected the necessary 15% of MPs needed to make this request.

The core of the petition is a reported French seizure of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Dunkirk on September 10, 2026. The cocaine was allegedly hidden in a container carrying plastic waste that originated from Ghana. The Minority believes this incident raises questions about Ghana's port security, export systems, customs controls, intelligence gathering, and narcotics enforcement.

The petition seeks a parliamentary inquiry into the handling of the shipment and broader issues like how the container was processed, inspected, cleared, and exported from Ghana. It also wants details on the companies and institutions involved in these processes, the status of ongoing investigations and arrests, and the level of cooperation between Ghanaian and international authorities.

The Minority points to other major drug-related incidents since 2025, including a seizure of over 3.3 tonnes of cocaine in March 2025 and another consignment of about 120 slabs of cocaine intercepted along a highway in August 2026. They also mention the seizure of 866 parcels of suspected cocaine at a Tema Harbour warehouse in August 2026. Additionally, there is a report of Australian authorities seizing 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in a charcoal shipment traced to Ghana.

The Minority argues that these incidents collectively question the effectiveness of Ghana's narcotics enforcement framework, border controls, and institutional coordination. They are concerned about the investigation's progress on the 2025 seizure, noting that more than a year later, only a few suspects have been arraigned and remain on bail. The caucus wants to know why key actors in the trafficking have not been identified or prosecuted.

The Minority believes Parliament should address these issues immediately, as they impact national security, public safety, Ghana's international standing, and the integrity of its ports and borders. However, they clarify that this parliamentary inquiry is not intended to judge individuals or interfere with ongoing investigations. Instead, they aim to assert their constitutional oversight and accountability roles by summoning Parliament within the required timeframe and facilitating deliberations on these critical matters.