Minority Members of Parliament have staged a walkout to protest the continued detention of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
Chairman Wontumi was arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on Tuesday, May 27, after reporting to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for questioning. He was subsequently detained at the EOCO head office in Accra.
His lawyer, Andy Appiah Kubi, confirmed to Graphic Online that his client is under investigation for allegedly causing financial loss to the state.
He was later granted bail to the tune of GH¢50 million with two sureties, both to be justified. However, he remained in EOCO custody after failing to meet the bail conditions.
Addressing the House on Thursday, May 29, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin announced the decision to boycott parliamentary proceedings until EOCO reviews and eases the bail conditions and secures Chairman Wontumi’s release.
“The NPP side, however our numbers, we will protest by absenting ourselves from the proceedings of this House,” he stated.
“Mr Speaker, they [EOCO] must do the right thing, and we will not be part of any proceedings until the right thing is done.”
He further urged members on the Majority side to show solidarity.
In a dramatic scene before the walkout, Minority MPs stood and chanted a line from Ghana’s national anthem — “And help us to resist oppressors’ rule with all our will and might forevermore.”
They repeated the line in defiance as they exited the chamber.
After leaving Parliament, the MPs began a symbolic march to the EOCO office — a journey of approximately 30 minutes.
Source: Emma Ankrah
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