{"id":2913,"date":"2026-10-01T17:51:43","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T17:51:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parliamentnews360.com\/?p=2913"},"modified":"2026-10-01T17:51:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T17:51:44","slug":"reasons-why-speaker-bagbin-ruled-motion-to-probe-drug-seizures-inadmissible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parliamentnews360.com\/index.php\/reasons-why-speaker-bagbin-ruled-motion-to-probe-drug-seizures-inadmissible\/","title":{"rendered":"Reasons Why Speaker Bagbin Ruled Motion to Probe Drug Seizures Inadmissible"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By Clement Akoloh<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Speaker of Parliament has ruled the Private Members Motion seeking a parliamentary inquiry into recent cocaine seizures inadmissible, citing substantial overlap with ongoing criminal investigations and judicial proceedings.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a ruling delivered on the floor, the Speaker said he had carefully considered the motion and its proposed terms of reference, the nature and extent of continuing investigations, pending judicial proceedings, Parliament’s constitutional oversight responsibilities, precedents and practices of the House, and the express terms of Standing Order 103 Rules 5 and F and Standing Order 56.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I am satisfied that the present case involves considerably more than incidental overlap. The proposed parliamentary inquiry will traverse factual matters directly connected with matters presently engaging the criminal justice process,” the Speaker ruled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the inquiry would involve evidence, witnesses, conduct and questions of responsibility relevant to pending proceedings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“To investigate this matter would mean this House making the following decisions… The committee would have to evaluate and assess how these transactions are made and then determine why some actions are taken by some actors and why other actors oppose taking any action at the ports of entry.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He held that the combined effect would be to determine the very issues that the courts are supposed to determine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Accordingly, I am of the considered opinion that permitting the motion to proceed in its present form as presented by a leader of the House at this particular time may prejudice the interest of parties to pending judicial proceedings and therefore pursuant to Standing Orders 56 and 103 sub F, the Private Members Motion is inadmissible,” he declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Minority had triggered the recall of Parliament under Article 112(3) of the 1992 Constitution to seek answers over what it considers growing concerns about drug trafficking through Ghana. The House was recalled to sit on September 29 following the Minority request which was followed by a Private Members Motion by the 1st Deputy Minority Whip, Hon. Habib Iddrisu seeking the Parliamentary inquiry into the cocaine seizures which the Speaker ruled against its admission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Speaker clarified the limits of his ruling, saying he was not ruling that Parliament can never inquire into the matters, nor suggesting that the matters raised are unimportant, but that the motion in its present form and at this particular stage contravenes the Standing Orders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: parliamentnews360.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Speaker of Parliament has ruled the Private Members Motion seeking a parliamentary inquiry into recent cocaine seizures inadmissible, citing substantial overlap with ongoing criminal investigations and judicial proceedings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2914,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[1715,1714,194],"class_list":{"0":"post-2913","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-news","8":"tag-inadmissible-motion","9":"tag-probe-drug-seizures","10":"tag-speaker-alban-sumana-kingsford-bagbin"},"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n