Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Peter Lanchene Toobu, has called for systemic reforms and stronger coordination among Ghana’s security agencies following the seizure of 3.9 tonnes of suspected cocaine linked to Ghana.
The Wa West Member of Parliament said the response to the incident should go beyond assigning blame or removing individuals from office, stressing the need to address weaknesses in the country’s security and drug enforcement systems.
“You don’t correct the system by firing people,” Mr Toobu said on Citi News Digest on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
He said Ghana needed a broader blueprint to improve collaboration among security agencies and strengthen mechanisms for detecting and preventing international drug trafficking.
His comments come after the Minority in Parliament petitioned the Speaker to recall the House to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shipment, citing its national security implications.
Mr Toobu, however, said a recall of Parliament was not necessary for the matter to receive parliamentary scrutiny.
He explained that the Defence and Interior, Transport, and Trade and Industry committees already have oversight responsibilities relevant to the issues surrounding the shipment and could undertake investigations while Parliament is in recess.
“If you sit and watch for something to blow up and you think that that’s the right time to set up a bipartisan committee to inquire into the matter, you’ll be moving from oversight and venturing into what we call micromanagement of various institutions,” he said.
Mr Toobu argued that effective parliamentary oversight should involve a continuous understanding of government policies, budgeting processes and the operations of relevant institutions, rather than being triggered only after major incidents occur.
The MP’s position comes as authorities examine the circumstances surrounding the shipment and Ghana’s role in international drug trafficking networks.
President John Dramani Mahama has directed the security agencies to develop a blueprint aimed at improving inter-agency collaboration and strengthening Ghana’s response to drug trafficking and related security threats.
Mr Toobu said implementing such systemic measures would be important to prevent similar incidents and improve the effectiveness of Ghana’s security architecture.
