Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has disclosed that 21 people are currently standing trial in four separate narcotics-related cases pending before Ghanaian courts, as he explained his decision to reject a proposed parliamentary inquiry into major cocaine seizures linked to Ghana.

The disclosure came during Parliament’s emergency sitting on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, after the Minority sought the establishment of a bipartisan ad hoc committee to investigate major narcotics consignments allegedly processed, cleared and exported from Ghana.

Why Bagbin Rejected the Inquiry

Speaker Bagbin ruled that the proposed parliamentary investigation could overlap substantially with issues already before the courts.

According to him, the four pending cases involve about 21 accused persons, meaning that a parliamentary inquiry into the same transactions could potentially examine evidence, witnesses and questions of responsibility that are already part of ongoing criminal proceedings.

He therefore ruled the Minority’s motion inadmissible under the relevant Parliamentary Standing Orders, citing concerns that the proposed inquiry could prejudice the interests of parties involved in the court cases.

The Cases Behind the Controversy

The parliamentary debate follows several major narcotics seizures involving consignments linked to Ghana.

Among the cases is the seizure in France of nearly four tonnes of suspected cocaine concealed in a shipment of plastic waste originating from Ghana. Four Ghanaian nationals have been remanded in connection with that case, while a fifth suspect, Dutch national Jos Leijdekkers, is reportedly at large.

The Minority had proposed that Parliament examine issues including how the consignments were processed and cleared, the roles of state agencies and private companies, port security and the progress of investigations.

Minority Challenges Speaker’s Decision

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has rejected the Speaker’s reasoning, arguing that the proposed inquiry was intended to examine institutional and systemic weaknesses rather than determine the guilt or innocence of people before the courts.

He maintained that Parliament could investigate issues such as customs procedures, container scanning, intelligence sharing and coordination between state agencies without conducting a parallel criminal trial.

The disagreement has intensified debate over the limits of parliamentary oversight when related criminal matters are already before the courts.

Cocaine Seizures Put Ghana Under Scrutiny

The parliamentary dispute comes amid growing international attention to narcotics trafficking involving Ghana.

Recent seizures include the 3.9-tonne cocaine shipment intercepted by French Customs at Dunkirk and an earlier seizure of 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine by Australian authorities from a shipment originating from Ghana.

President John Mahama has already directed security agencies to review Ghana’s systems for detecting and preventing narcotics trafficking through the country’s ports and borders.

For now, the criminal cases involving the 21 accused persons will proceed through the courts, while the political debate over whether Parliament should separately investigate the broader institutional issues surrounding the narcotics seizures continues.

In September 2026, the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) in accordance with its mandate under section 2(b) of ACT 1140, generated from its ASM gold trade operations, foreign exchange totaling US$1.871 billion against the announced monthly target of US$1.4 billion.

Of the total amount, US$701.3 million was sold to authorized commercial banks against the set target of US$700 million to support FX market stability, while an amount of US$1.170 billion was provided to the Bank of Ghana against the set target of US$700 million to support reserve accumulation.

In October 2026, GoldBod projects to generate US$1.5 billion in foreign exchange. Of this amount, US$1 billion will be made available to commercial banks to support FX market stability, while up to US$500 million will be provided to the Bank of Ghana to support the building of reserves in line with the GANRAP.

This will be done in accordance with the newly developed Spot FX Sales/Intermediation Framework of the GoldBod to strengthen transparency, fairness and regulatory compliance.

GoldBod remains committed to its statutory mandate to generate foreign exchange for Ghana and will continue to work closely with all stakeholders.

Former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu has launched a strong criticism of Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, alleging that the head of Ghana’s judiciary is serving as a “surrogate” for President John Dramani Mahama in an attempt to influence the affairs of the judiciary.

Amidu’s comments add to the ongoing public debate over judicial independence and the relationship between the executive and the judiciary.

In his remarks, the former Attorney-General questioned the independence of the judiciary under the current administration and alleged that the Chief Justice is being used to advance the interests of the political executive.

He described Baffoe-Bonnie as a “surrogate” of President Mahama and alleged that the arrangement is intended to give the government influence over the judiciary.

The allegation is a serious one, particularly given the constitutional importance of judicial independence in Ghana’s democratic system.

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie has served on Ghana’s Supreme Court for years and has appeared on numerous panels dealing with constitutional and politically sensitive cases. Court records, for example, show him as a member of Supreme Court panels in cases involving Martin Amidu himself, including proceedings dating back to 2013 and 2017.

The former Special Prosecutor’s latest comments therefore place the spotlight once again on the question of how Ghana’s judiciary should maintain its independence while dealing with politically sensitive cases and constitutional disputes.

Amidu’s allegation remains his stated position and does not, by itself, establish that the Chief Justice is acting on behalf of President Mahama. Any assessment of the claim would require evidence concerning specific actions or decisions attributed to the Chief Justice.

The controversy comes at a time when judicial independence and accountability remain prominent issues in Ghana’s public discourse, with politicians, lawyers and civil society actors continuing to debate the appropriate balance between the three arms of government.

For now, Amidu’s remarks have opened another contentious chapter in the national conversation over the independence of Ghana’s judiciary and the role of the Chief Justice.

Ghana has secured a major legal victory against oil giant Tullow Ghana Limited after an international arbitration tribunal dismissed all claims brought by the company over the taxation of business interruption insurance proceeds.

The arbitration tribunal, constituted under the Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), delivered its award on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, ruling in favour of the Republic of Ghana.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, September 30, the tribunal upheld in full the Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) tax assessment of US$393,091,993.70 against Tullow.

The tribunal further found that the tax assessment did not breach Ghana’s Petroleum Agreements and determined that the penalty imposed was properly applied.

It also ruled that the assessment was not time-barred and that the enforcement action taken by the GRA was lawful.

Ghana secures major tax victory

The Finance Ministry said the outcome vindicates the position Ghana has maintained throughout the dispute — that every company operating in the country, regardless of its size, remains subject to Ghanaian laws.

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson commended the work of the Office of the Attorney-General, the Ghana Revenue Authority and Ghana’s external legal counsel, Folely Hoag LLP, for their efforts in defending the interests of the Republic.

The ruling comes at a significant time for Ghana’s oil sector, as the government and its Jubilee partners work to maximise the prospects of the Jubilee and TEN oil fields.

Government moves to implement award

The government has indicated that it will work closely with Tullow to give effect to the tribunal’s award in accordance with Ghanaian law.

However, the Ministry stressed that implementation would take into consideration the continuity of operations in the Jubilee and TEN fields, as well as Tullow’s capacity to sustain the investments required in those fields.

The government also noted that Ghanaian law gives the GRA the authority to determine the timing and manner in which assessed tax liabilities are settled.

According to the Ministry, its objective is to ensure that the award secures the revenues due to the Ghanaian people while preserving Tullow’s ability to continue operating and investing in Ghana.

Talks with Tullow to continue

The Finance Ministry disclosed that prior to the tribunal’s decision, the government had been engaged in discussions with Tullow to find an amicable resolution to outstanding tax matters between the two parties.

Those discussions, the Ministry said, will continue and will cover both the matter determined by the tribunal and separate proceedings concerning the disallowance of loan interest.

The government expressed confidence that the discussions would ultimately be resolved in the mutual interest of both parties.

Despite the legal dispute, the Ministry described Tullow as a vital partner to Ghana and the country’s largest petroleum producer.

It noted that Tullow’s operations in the Jubilee and TEN fields contribute to Ghana’s energy security, domestic gas supply and the livelihoods of thousands of Ghanaians.

The government therefore emphasised that it remains in the national interest for the relationship between Ghana and Tullow to endure, even as the latest arbitration award is implemented.

The contractor working on the Accra-Kumasi Highway project has reportedly raised concerns over alleged obstruction of construction activities by a church associated with Prophet Adom Kyei-Duah.

According to the contractor, activities at a section of the major road project have been disrupted by the church, prompting the company to formally bring the matter to the attention of the sector minister.

The contractor is said to have complained that the alleged obstruction is affecting work on the highway and could have implications for the smooth execution of the project.

The development has brought renewed attention to the challenges that can arise when major infrastructure projects intersect with existing religious, commercial or private activities along project corridors.

The contractor is therefore seeking the intervention of the minister to help resolve the matter and allow construction activities to proceed without further disruption.

The concerns come as work on the Accra-Kumasi Highway remains a major infrastructure priority, with the project expected to improve connectivity between Accra and communities across the country.

The alleged dispute involving the church has now placed the issue before the relevant authorities, who are expected to examine the concerns raised by the contractor and determine the appropriate way forward.