Cocaine probe: Speaker got it wrong by blocking parliamentary inquiry – Minority Leader

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has criticized Speaker Alban Bagbin's decision to reject a parliamentary inquiry into major narcotics seizures, according to reports. Afenyo-Markin claimed that the Speaker made an error by considering ongoing criminal proceedings when determining the scope and method of the inquiry. The Minority's motion, led by First Deputy Minority Whip Habib Iddrisu, called for the creation of an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the processing, inspection, clearance, and export of narcotics in Ghana.

The motion specifically referenced the seizure of 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine in France on September 10, 2026, and the seizure of 320 kilograms of methamphetamine by the Australian Border Force in June 2026. Speaker Bagbin, however, deemed the motion inadmissible because it significantly overlapped with ongoing judicial proceedings, which could potentially compromise the fairness of those cases.

Afenyo-Markin argued that Parliament should have the authority to conduct broader investigations into institutional and systemic issues related to the seizures, rather than hindering the courts' work. He emphasized that Parliament's role in oversight is crucial for maintaining accountability within state institutions.