Ghana’s Parliament reconvenes today, Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 12 noon for an emergency sitting over a string of cocaine seizures linked to the country, including nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine intercepted at France’s Port of Dunkirk in a container that departed Ghana.
Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin summoned the House in a notice issued on September 24, 2026, under Article 112(3) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 53 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
The recall follows a petition by the Minority Caucus, led by First Deputy Minority Whip and Tolon MP Habib Iddrisu, which cited “urgent national security concerns” over major narcotics seizures tied to Ghana.
Parliament had been on recess. The one-day sitting is expected to focus on how the Dunkirk container was processed, inspected, cleared and exported from Ghana.
Why Parliament was recalled over the cocaine seizures
Article 112(3) of the Constitution allows at least 15% of Members of Parliament to request that the House be recalled. Once the request is made, the Speaker is required to summon Parliament within seven days.
The Minority’s petition, dated September 18, 2026, met that threshold. Speaker Bagbin’s notice stated: “Pursuant to Article 112(3) of the Constitution… I hereby summon Parliament to sit on Tuesday, 29th September, 2026.”
The notice does not set out a detailed agenda for the sitting.
Ghana-linked drug seizures cited by the Minority
The Minority’s petition lists several narcotics seizures connected to Ghana since 2025. According to the petition, as reported by Graphic Online, they include:
- September 10, 2026 – Port of Dunkirk, France: about 3.9 tonnes of cocaine found in a container of plastic waste from Ghana, valued at over US$260 million
- March 4, 2025 – Pedu Junction, Cape Coast: about 3.3 tonnes of cocaine hidden under sand in a tipper truck, valued at over US$350 million
- August 5, 2026 – Tema Harbour: 866 parcels of cocaine concealed in gari sacks, valued at about US$6.9 million
- June 18, 2026 – Australia: 320kg of methamphetamine in a charcoal shipment traced to Ghana, valued at about US$261 million
- March 20, 2025 – Kotoka International Airport: an aircraft linked to narcotics and currency, which the Minority says remains unresolved
The Minority says the combined value of the seizures linked to Ghana since 2025 exceeds US$1 billion. GhanaTrends earlier reported on a 150kg cocaine bust at Accra’s international airport in August.
Agencies the Minority wants to answer questions
The Minority wants officials from four state institutions to appear before Parliament:
- Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC)
- Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA)
- Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) – Customs Division
- National Intelligence Bureau (NIB)
Mr Iddrisu has also filed a private member’s motion seeking an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate port security, surveillance systems, investigations, arrests, prosecutions, and cooperation with France and Australia on the seizures.
The Minority is seeking answers on which institutions and companies cleared the Dunkirk shipment, the progress of investigations, and whether any arrests have been made.
Majority questions need for emergency sitting
Not all MPs back the recall. Some Majority MPs have questioned whether it is necessary while investigations by the relevant agencies are ongoing.
Deputy Majority Whip Richard Acheampong had earlier questioned whether Parliament could independently investigate the matter and whether an emergency sitting would achieve its intended results.
The Catholic Bishops, however, have publicly backed the recall, citing national security concerns.
What the cocaine seizures mean for Ghana
The repeated seizures have raised concerns about security and inspection at Ghana’s ports and the country’s possible use as a transit hub for illegal drugs.
For exporters and importers, closer scrutiny of cargo clearance and inspection procedures could follow. For Ghana’s international image, lawmakers say the issue touches on national security and the country’s reputation with trade partners.
What happens next
MPs sit from 12 noon today. The House is expected to consider the Minority’s concerns and whether to set up an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the seizures.
If a committee is approved, heads of NACOC, GPHA, GRA Customs and the National Intelligence Bureau could be called to account for how the Ghana-linked consignments passed through the system. Details of the sitting are published by the Parliament of Ghana.
Parliament Recalled Today Over 3.9-Tonne Cocaine Seizure Linked to Ghana – Key details at a glance
- Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026, 12 noon
- Venue: Parliament House, Accra
- Legal basis: Article 112(3) of the 1992 Constitution; Standing Order 53
- Summoned by: Speaker Alban Bagbin (notice issued September 24)
- Petition led by: Habib Iddrisu, First Deputy Minority Whip, Tolon MP
- Main trigger: nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine seized at Dunkirk, France, from a Ghana container
- Agencies targeted: NACOC, GPHA, GRA, National Intelligence Bureau
FAQs
Why has Ghana’s Parliament been recalled?
Parliament was recalled at the request of the Minority to address major cocaine seizures linked to Ghana, including nearly 3.9 tonnes found in a Ghana container at France’s Port of Dunkirk.
When is the Parliament emergency sitting?
The emergency sitting takes place on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 12 noon at Parliament House in Accra.
How much cocaine was seized at Dunkirk from Ghana?
French authorities seized nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Dunkirk on September 10, 2026, hidden in a container of plastic waste that departed Ghana.
Today’s sitting puts Ghana’s port security and anti-narcotics agencies under parliamentary scrutiny, as the Minority pushes for an Ad Hoc Committee to trace how cocaine consignments worth hundreds of millions of dollars left or passed through the country.
