Hajia Safia has outlined an ambitious vision centred on empowering women and strengthening the grassroots structures of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Speaking on her political agenda, she emphasised the need for greater support for women within the party while calling for renewed attention to the grassroots, which she described as the backbone of any successful political organisation.

According to Hajia Safia, empowering women should go beyond rhetoric and translate into practical opportunities that allow them to play more meaningful roles in the party and in national development.

She also stressed the importance of strengthening the connection between the party’s leadership and its grassroots members.

Her comments come at a time when internal discussions within the NPP have increasingly focused on rebuilding party structures, improving communication and ensuring that grassroots supporters remain actively involved in the party’s affairs.

Hajia Safia believes women and grassroots activists have an important role to play in shaping the future direction of the NPP.

She therefore pledged to champion initiatives that would give women greater opportunities while working to ensure that the concerns of ordinary party members receive greater attention.

The commitment has placed grassroots mobilisation and women’s participation at the centre of her political agenda, as she seeks to rally support around her vision.

She further called for unity and collective effort, arguing that a stronger grassroots structure would be essential to the party’s organisational development.

Her pledge is expected to fuel further discussions within the NPP as members consider the leadership priorities and strategies needed to strengthen the party at the grassroots level.

For Hajia Safia, the message is clear: empowering women and reconnecting with the grassroots must form an important part of efforts to build a more effective and united party structure.

The historical injustices suffered by Africa continue to shape the continent’s position in today’s global power structures, with calls growing for a more representative international system.

Africa is home to approximately 1.5 billion people, representing more than 18 per cent of the world’s population and making the continent the largest regional voting bloc in the United Nations General Assembly.

Despite this demographic strength, concerns remain about the extent to which Africa’s population and collective interests are reflected in major global decision-making institutions.

The continent’s current position has been linked to longstanding inequalities within the international system, many of which have their roots in the political and economic structures established during and after the colonial era.

“The injustices of the past remain embedded in today’s power structures,” the statement noted.

With Africa’s population continuing to grow and its influence in global affairs becoming increasingly significant, advocates for reform argue that the continent’s representation in international institutions should reflect its growing demographic and political weight.

The issue is particularly relevant at the United Nations, where African countries collectively wield significant voting power in the General Assembly.

However, representation in some of the UN’s most powerful decision-making structures remains a major point of contention, prompting renewed calls for reforms that would give Africa a stronger voice in determining global affairs.

For many African leaders and diplomats, the question is no longer simply about historical injustice but about whether the international system can adequately reflect the realities of the world as it exists today.

With more than 1.5 billion people and the continent accounting for over 18 per cent of humanity, Africa’s role in global governance is becoming increasingly difficult to overlook.

Parliament will reconvene from recess on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, following a formal summons issued by Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.

In a notice dated Thursday, September 24, the Speaker directed Members of Parliament to report to the Chamber at Parliament House in Accra at 12 noon.

The recall comes against the backdrop of growing concerns over a number of major narcotics seizures involving consignments linked to Ghana, with the Minority in Parliament calling for the House to scrutinise the circumstances surrounding the incidents.

The Speaker’s notice, however, did not specify the particular business or matters that Parliament will consider when it meets.

The notice stated: “Pursuant to Article 112(3) of the Constitution and Order 53 of the Standing Orders of the Parliament, I, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, hereby summon Parliament to sit on Tuesday, 29th September, 2026 at twelve noon at Parliament House, Accra.”

The summons follows a petition by the Minority seeking an extraordinary sitting to address what it considers urgent national security concerns arising from several major drug seizures linked to Ghana. The Minority invoked Article 112(3) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 53 of Parliament’s Standing Orders in its request.

At the centre of the concerns is the seizure by French authorities of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Dunkirk on September 10, 2026. The cocaine was reportedly concealed in a container of plastic waste that had arrived in France from Ghana.

The Minority has also drawn attention to other narcotics-related seizures recorded since 2025, arguing that the series of incidents raises questions about Ghana’s port security, customs procedures, intelligence gathering and the effectiveness of institutions responsible for combating drug trafficking.

Among the other cases cited is the seizure of more than 3.3 tonnes of cocaine at Pedu Junction in March 2025. The Minority has also referenced the seizure of 866 parcels of suspected cocaine at a warehouse within the Tema Harbour enclave in August 2026, as well as a 320-kilogramme methamphetamine seizure in Australia involving a consignment reportedly traced to Ghana.

The Caucus wants Parliament to establish how the consignments were processed, inspected, cleared and exported from Ghana, while also seeking information on the companies and institutions involved and the progress of investigations into the cases.

It has called for relevant Ministers and officials from institutions including the Narcotics Control Commission, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority and National Intelligence Bureau to provide answers to Parliament.

The Minority is also seeking scrutiny of the country’s scanning, surveillance, intelligence and security systems at ports, airports and other entry and exit points, as well as the measures being taken to identify the financiers, organisers and networks behind major international narcotics operations.

The push for the recall had generated differing views among lawmakers. While the Minority argued that the scale and frequency of the seizures warranted an extraordinary sitting, some Majority MPs questioned the need to recall the entire House while investigations by the relevant state agencies were ongoing.

Wa West MP and Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Peter Lanchene Toobu, previously argued that existing parliamentary committees could investigate the matter without requiring the full House to return from recess. He pointed to the Defence and Interior, Transport, and Trade and Industry committees as having relevant oversight responsibilities.

With Speaker Bagbin now having formally summoned Parliament, the House is scheduled to meet at noon on September 29. The specific business for the sitting remains undisclosed in the Speaker’s notice, although the narcotics seizures and the Minority’s demand for parliamentary scrutiny are expected to form an important part of the discussions surrounding the recall.

Deputy National Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kamaldeen Abdulai, has raised concerns over what he describes as a growing pattern of arrests in Ghana, warning that the situation could threaten the country’s democratic stability if not addressed.

Speaking via phone on Kessben Maakye show in Accra, Kamaldeen, argued that concerns over the arrests extend beyond the NPP and called on state institutions to respect the constitutional rights of people taken into custody.

He specifically referenced the case of Salomey Awiti Bafoh, claiming she was not initially informed of the reason for her arrest. Article 14(2) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution states that an arrested, restricted or detained person must immediately be informed, in a language they understand, of the reasons for the action and of their right to a lawyer.

Bafoh, a nurse, has been remanded in police custody after pleading not guilty to a charge of abetment of crime in connection with the alleged publication of false news involving the social-media personality known as “Ghana Jollof.” Police say their investigations established interactions and financial transactions between the two women.

Kamaldeen further argued that constitutional protections apply even to people accused of serious crimes and warned that the manner in which arrests are conducted could undermine public confidence in Ghana’s democracy.
He also called for a mass demonstration involving what he described as two million people to “send a signal” to the government and the international community.
“If we are not careful, our democracy would be destroyed,” he warned, adding that the current approach to arrests could create unrest in the country.

He further said the President should ensure state institutions operate within the law, arguing that the executive should ultimately be held politically accountable for the conduct of institutions under its authority.
The NPP has separately raised concerns over Bafoh’s continued detention, while police maintain that the case forms part of ongoing investigations into alleged publication and circulation of false information online.

By Maurice Otoo

Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has criticised the alleged attempt by officers of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to arrest Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, describing the incident as a “retrogression” in Ghana’s democratic development. 

The controversy erupted on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at the Accra High Court, shortly after Baffour Awuah had represented detained nurse Salomey Baffoe Awiti during a bail hearing.

According to reports, a woman believed to be an EOCO officer approached the MP as he was leaving the court premises and asked him to accompany her to the EOCO office. A confrontation subsequently occurred, with the MP eventually driving away from the premises while another vehicle reportedly followed him.

Reacting to the incident, Kpebu questioned the manner in which the alleged arrest was being pursued and argued that established parliamentary procedures should be considered when law-enforcement authorities require the presence of a sitting MP.

“It’s a retrogression in our quest for a better democracy. It’s a retrogression,” Kpebu said.

Kpebu calls for parliamentary procedure

Kpebu said his understanding of the relevant parliamentary and constitutional framework is that an investigative agency seeking the assistance or attendance of a sitting MP should communicate with the Speaker of Parliament, who can then engage the lawmaker and facilitate arrangements for the MP to appear before the investigators.

He argued that such procedures are important to prevent security institutions from being perceived as being used to intimidate or target lawmakers, particularly opposition MPs.

The lawyer also warned that political power is not permanent and urged those in government to consider the long-term implications of how state institutions are used.

EOCO gives a different account

EOCO has confirmed that its officers attempted to arrest Baffour Awuah but says they were acting within their statutory responsibilities as part of an ongoing investigation.

The Office said the MP had previously been invited on two occasions in February 2026 to assist with the investigation but did not honour the invitations. EOCO therefore said the attempted arrest was one of the lawful steps it took to secure his attendance.

The attempted arrest was unsuccessful after the situation escalated at the court premises.

Baffour Awuah has separately disputed the circumstances surrounding the operation, saying the woman who approached him did not provide evidence of her identity or produce an arrest warrant when he requested one. He said these circumstances led him to fear for his safety and drive away.

Incident triggers wider debate

The incident has since triggered calls for clarity over the procedures governing arrests and investigations involving sitting MPs, particularly when such actions occur within court premises.

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has also called on the Chief Justice to examine whether investigative agencies are permitted to enter court premises specifically to arrest suspects or accused persons.

For now, the competing accounts from EOCO and Baffour Awuah remain central to the controversy, while Kpebu’s intervention has intensified the debate over parliamentary privileges, law-enforcement powers and the protection of democratic institutions.