Ghana Minority challenges Speaker Bagbin over rejected cocaine probe and MP removal
Ghanaian opposition lawmakers are pushing back against parliamentary leadership, demanding a review of a blocked cocaine inquiry and condemning an MP's removal.
At a glance
- The Minority in Parliament filed a motion under Standing Order 127 to review Speaker Alban Bagbin's rejection of a proposed inquiry into drug seizures.
- Speaker Bagbin had ruled the inquiry inadmissible due to ongoing court cases involving narcotics under the sub judice principle.
- Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin also criticized the Speaker for ordering the removal of MP Samuel Abu Jinapor from the chamber.
Ghana's parliamentary opposition is pressing Speaker Alban Bagbin to reverse a decision blocking an investigation into international drug seizures linked to the country. Lawmakers from the Minority group argue that ongoing criminal trials should not prevent legislative oversight of port security and border controls.
The push for a review follows escalating tensions in Parliament, which also saw the Minority condemn the ejection of Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor from the chamber after a dispute over allegations involving the Foreign Affairs Minister.
Challenging the Speaker on port security inquiry
The Minority caucus filed an application through First Deputy Whip Habib Iddrisu to challenge Speaker Bagbin's September 29 ruling. The Speaker had rejected a private member's motion for a parliamentary inquiry into narcotics trafficking, citing about 21 individuals facing prosecution across four separate court cases and invoking the sub judice principle to prevent interference with legal proceedings.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin told journalists that administrative accountability and criminal trials remain separate matters. He pointed to recent international incidents, including the seizure of approximately 3.9 tonnes of cocaine valued at about 225 million euros hidden in plastic waste from Ghana at the French Port of Dunkirk on September 7, alongside prior interceptions in Amsterdam, Antwerp, and Sydney.
Majority response and chamber tensions
Majority Leader James Agalga stated that the Majority is ready to debate the Minority if the review motion is admitted, while challenging the opposition New Patriotic Party to defend its own record on narcotics. The clash over the cocaine probe coincided with further friction after MP Samuel Abu Jinapor was escorted out of the chamber by a parliamentary marshal following a directive to withdraw an unverified allegation against Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa regarding diplomatic passports.
Mr Afenyo-Markin criticized the ejection as high-handed, arguing that members should be permitted to raise matters of public interest for committee scrutiny rather than facing immediate removal. The reports did not include a direct response from the Speaker's office regarding the criticism over the chamber removal.
What the procedural clash means for Parliament
The motion tests the boundary between legislative oversight and judicial independence in Ghana's parliament. While the Speaker relies on established legal protections to avoid prejudicing active court cases, the opposition's push highlights growing political pressure over international drug enforcement and ministerial accountability. How the leadership handles the review application will set a precedent for how Parliament treats institutional investigations running parallel to criminal prosecutions.
What to watch: Parliamentary leadership is expected to decide whether to admit the Minority's application for a review of the Speaker's ruling.
Reporting from: Graphic Online, MyJoyOnline, MyJoyOnline. Spotted an error? Tell us.
- Alban Bagbin
- Alexander Afenyo-Markin
- Samuel Abu Jinapor
- James Agalga
- Parliament of Ghana
- Ghana
- Politics