Parliament is set to hold an emergency sitting today, Tuesday, September 29, to examine a series of major narcotics seizures involving consignments linked to Ghana.
The one-day sitting follows a petition by the Minority Caucus, led by First Deputy Minority Whip and Tolon MP Habib Iddrisu, which called for urgent parliamentary scrutiny of the seizures and Ghana’s narcotics-control systems.
At the centre of the concerns is the seizure of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at France’s Port of Dunkirk from a container that had departed Ghana. French authorities estimated the consignment’s value at about €225 million.
The Minority wants lawmakers to examine how the shipment was processed, inspected and cleared for export, as well as the roles of agencies responsible for customs, intelligence, port security and narcotics enforcement.
A private members’ motion filed by Habib Iddrisu also proposes an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate several Ghana-linked narcotics seizures, including a 320kg methamphetamine interception in Australia and earlier cocaine seizures in Ghana.
The proposed inquiry would also assess the adequacy of scanning, surveillance and intelligence systems at Ghana’s ports and examine cooperation between Ghanaian authorities and their international counterparts.
The development comes as NACOC faces increased scrutiny. The Commission has said suspects connected to the Dunkirk shipment had been under surveillance for between one and two years.
Four people have so far been remanded in Ghana over the alleged cocaine export, with investigations continuing.
