Majority Leader in Parliament, James Agalga, has described the Minority’s motion seeking a parliamentary inquiry into recent major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana as premature, arguing that the matters are already under active criminal investigation.
According to Mr Agalga, allowing Parliament to undertake a parallel inquiry while state security and law enforcement agencies are still conducting investigations could generate conflicting conclusions and potentially impinge on ongoing judicial processes.
His comments follow the rejection by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, of a motion filed by the Minority seeking the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the processing, inspection, clearance and exportation of major narcotics consignments allegedly linked to Ghana.
Speaking on Ghana Tonight on TV3 on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, Mr Agalga noted that some of the cases cited by the Minority had already entered the judicial process, with suspects having been remanded by the courts.
“Now most of the cases in question are under active investigation, to the extent that the court has remanded some of the persons,” he said.
He questioned the rationale for Parliament initiating a separate inquiry while several investigations are already underway.
“When cases are under active investigations and you come before Parliament and extend an invitation to Parliament to also commence probe, exactly what do you seek to achieve, when you have multiple investigations running concurrently?” he asked.
Mr Agalga further cautioned that conducting a parliamentary inquiry alongside criminal investigations could result in divergent findings on the same matters.
“The danger is that you might arrive at different conclusions,” he stated.
The Majority Leader maintained that state institutions legally mandated to investigate criminal offences should be allowed to complete their work before Parliament considers any further intervention.
“So while the agencies of state which are statutorily mandated to conduct criminal investigations are actually in the course of investigating matters, you don’t bring in Parliament at that stage. It is completely premature,” he added.
The Minority’s motion was filed by First Deputy Minority Whip and Member of Parliament for Tolon, Habib Iddrisu, on Monday, September 28, 2026.
The proposed Ad Hoc Committee was expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the processing, inspection, clearance and exportation of major narcotics consignments allegedly connected to Ghana.
The motion cited, among other cases, the interception of 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine at Dunkirk on September 10, 2026, with an estimated value of $261 million.
It also referenced the seizure of 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine by the Australian Border Force on June 18, 2026, as well as earlier narcotics interceptions recorded at Takoradi and Pedu in March 2025.
However, Speaker Bagbin rejected the motion during an emergency sitting on Tuesday, September 29, ruling it inadmissible under Standing Orders 5, 6, 103, Rule F, Order 192 and Order 233.
The Speaker further indicated that the proposed inquiry could prejudice ongoing judicial proceedings.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has since criticised the decision, describing it as a sad day for democracy and indicating that the Minority would not allow the matter to rest.
The development has intensified disagreement in Parliament over the scope of legislative scrutiny when criminal investigations and related court proceedings are still active.