The Minority in Parliament has demanded a full-scale independent parliamentary inquiry into a series of major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana over the past 18 months.
The Minority said the incidents, involving cocaine and methamphetamine seizures worth more than US$1 billion, raise serious questions about Ghana’s ports, airports and territorial waters.
In a statement, the Minority said Ghana had repeatedly featured in major narcotics trafficking cases both locally and internationally under the current NDC administration.
It cited several seizures in Ghana, as well as drug consignments traced to the country and intercepted by foreign authorities.
Major cocaine seizures
According to the Minority, the National Intelligence Bureau intercepted a tipper truck at Pedu Junction in Cape Coast on March 4, 2025, carrying more than 3.3 tonnes of cocaine concealed beneath sand.
The consignment was reportedly travelling from Takoradi to Accra and had an estimated street value of more than US$350 million.
The Minority also cited a second seizure during the same period involving about 120 slabs of cocaine, estimated to be worth US$150 million.
On August 5, 2026, the Tema Regional Police Command reportedly seized 866 parcels of suspected cocaine concealed in sacks of gari at a warehouse within the Tema Harbour enclave.
The Minority said the consignment was valued at about US$6.9 million.
It also raised concerns about two other incidents, including an aircraft that allegedly arrived at Kotoka International Airport from Gran Canaria in March 2025 carrying narcotics and undeclared US currency.
The statement further referenced the July 2025 MV Sankofa incident, involving a vessel allegedly sailing under a forged flag.
The Minority said the vessel was liable for a fine of almost GH¢12 million but was released after paying only a fraction of that amount and without a full inspection of its cargo.
It was later arrested in Senegal carrying narcotics, according to the statement.
Foreign seizures linked to Ghana
The Minority also pointed to two major international seizures.
It said Australian customs authorities seized 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine on June 18, 2026, concealed in a charcoal consignment traced to Ghana.
It further cited a Reuters report that French customs officers at the port of Dunkirk seized nearly 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine on September 10, 2026.
The cocaine, valued at more than US$260 million, was reportedly concealed in a container of plastic waste that had departed Ghana.
“Taken together, high-profile seizures linked to Ghana under this NDC administration now stand at well over US$1 billion in under two years,” the Minority said.
Minority wants agencies summoned
The Minority said it was particularly concerned about what happens to drug cases after the initial seizures.
It questioned why, in the Pedu Junction case, only the driver, a housemaid and a small number of peripheral suspects had been arraigned and remained on bail more than a year after the seizure.
It said the alleged financiers and high-profile dealers behind the US$350 million shipment remained unidentified.
The Minority argued that this raised questions about the effectiveness and reach of investigations.
It said Ghana’s port authorities had not publicly accounted for the Dunkirk seizure, while NACOC had also remained silent on the matter.
The Minority further demanded an explanation from the Ghana Maritime Authority over the handling of the MV Sankofa.
It wants the sector ministers and heads of relevant agencies summoned before Parliament to explain the cases.
Among the issues it wants addressed are the status of investigations, the prosecution of alleged financiers and principal traffickers, the release of the MV Sankofa and measures being taken to secure Ghana’s ports, airports and territorial waters.
The Minority said the matter was too serious to be allowed to fade from public attention.
“Ghana’s international reputation, and the safety of our young people from the scourge of narcotics, cannot be held hostage to official silence or political convenience,” it said.
“The Minority will not relent until the truth is known and those found responsible are held accountable.”
Read the statement below:
