Tensions Escalate as Manhyia South MP Sues Over Defamation and Minority Demands Bipartisan Narcotics Probe

The Ghanaian political landscape is currently gripped by a series of legal and legislative confrontations, headlined by a heated dispute between the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South. On September 28, 2026, constituents and New Patriotic Party (NPP) officials in Manhyia South demanded a formal apology from EOCO following what they termed an "unlawful" attempted arrest of the MP during a court appearance. The incident reportedly escalated into a physical altercation at the Accra High Court, leading NPP legal team member Enoch Anhwere Afoakwa to file a police report for alleged assault by an EOCO officer. The party has called for a parliamentary inquiry into the matter, citing a breach of parliamentary privilege and constitutional due process.

In response to the mounting pressure, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah has initiated a Writ of Summons against Akwatia MP Bernard Bediako Baidoo and broadcaster Abubakar Alhassan, popularly known as Blakk Rasta, for allegedly spreading false statements about him. The lawsuit follows allegations that the MP or his firm, SBA and Partners, charged excessive legal fees amounting to GH¢2.2 million in an SIC Life property sale case—claims the MP has categorically refuted. Baffour Awuah stated that he prefers civil litigation over criminal prosecution to uphold democratic values, even as he expressed concern over the alleged kidnapping of two women by state security agents, which he views as an attempt to intimidate him.

Simultaneously, the Minority in Parliament, led by First Deputy Minority Whip Habib Iddrisu, has filed a private members’ motion seeking a bipartisan inquiry into major narcotics consignments linked to Ghana. The motion, submitted ahead of an extraordinary parliamentary sitting on September 29, 2026, targets recent high-profile seizures, including 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine intercepted by French Customs and methamphetamine seized in Australia. The proposed Ad Hoc Committee intends to scrutinize the adequacy of security at Ghana’s ports and the roles of state agencies in clearing these shipments. These concerns were echoed by Koku Anyidoho, President of the Atta Mills Institute, who questioned whether recent visa waivers and mysterious plane landings in 2025 might be facilitating international drug trafficking.

Amidst these controversies, the professional integrity of high-ranking officials has also come under the spotlight. Alex Tetteh, President of Citizen Eye Ghana, has publicly defended the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, against attempts to link her professional reputation to her personal relationship with businessman Ibrahim Mahama. Tetteh argued that professional women should be judged solely on their conduct in office and that political scrutiny should not be used to undermine successful entrepreneurs or public servants. These collective developments underscore a period of intense institutional friction as Parliament prepares to deliberate on accountability, security, and the rule of law.