Parliament Recall: Ntim Fordjour expects emergency sitting over drug-trafficking crisis

Ranking Member of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Rev Ntim Fordjour, expects Parliament to be recalled for an emergency sitting over Ghana’s worsening drug-trafficking crisis. The Assin South MP says the Minority has secured more than the required 15% of MPs to trigger a parliamentary recall under Article 112(3) of the Constitution. According to him, the signatures, petition and memorandum were filed with the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, last week. He expects the Speaker to issue the notice of recall within this week, paving the way for Parliament to sit by next week. “Yes, we got more than 15%. So the Speaker is expected to quickly issue a notice of recall for us to have an emergency recall, to constitute a committee, a bipartisan committee in Parliament, to dig into it, have a full inquiry into it, a transparent inquiry, so that we will be able to offer solutions,” he said.

Rev Ntim Fordjour said the proposed inquiry is not intended to become a political exercise. “We are interested in solutions that restore Ghana to its glory,” he said. He said Parliament’s intervention has become necessary amid growing public concern over the country’s drug-trafficking problem. He also criticised the government for failing to take decisive action against officials within agencies connected to the security and drug-control chain. “No, the government hasn’t acted. Who has been fired? Has there been any agency head fired in the value chain? No,” he said. He argued that officials connected to the crisis should not simply remain in office while being tasked with finding solutions. “We need strong leadership, and we need President Mahama on his return from UNGA to act decisively, and to act as a leader who is fully aware of the repercussions of this cartel,” he said. His comments…