Deputy Minority Chief Whip Habib Iddrisu has formally challenged Speaker Alban Bagbin’s move to reject a minority motion calling for a parliamentary inquiry into significant narcotics seizures tied to Ghana.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, September 29, Iddrisu argued that Parliament retains its constitutional oversight authority even when related matters are before the courts.
Speaker Bagbin had dismissed the motion during an extraordinary sitting, asserting that an inquiry could prejudice ongoing court proceedings and citing Standing Order 101(3)F as the basis for his decision.
Iddrisu countered that Article 103 of the Constitution grants Parliament, and its committees, investigative powers that override the cited standing order, and he cited the Kpandai parliamentary dispute as precedent for Parliament acting while a case is pending in court.
He highlighted the recent seizure of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Dunkirk from a container that departed Ghana, warning that Ghana could be used as a transit point for illegal drugs.
Iddrisu maintained that the Speaker’s reliance on standing orders should not supersede constitutional provisions and that Parliament can and should investigate matters that may intersect with judicial proceedings.
The debate underscores a broader clash over the extent of parliamentary oversight versus judicial independence in Ghana’s governance structure.
