Minority MPs boycott Parliament in solidarity with Wontumi

Members of Parliament from the Minority side on Thursday afternoon boycotted sitting in solidarity with the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bernard Antwi Boasiako popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, who has been arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on charges of causing financial loss to the state.

Chairman Wontumi was arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on Tuesday, May 27, after he reported to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for questioning. He was subsequently held at the EOCO head office in Accra.

His lawyer, Andy Appiah Kubi, confirmed to Graphic Online that his client is being investigated on allegations of causing financial loss to the state.

He was subsequently granted bail of GH¢50 million with two sureties, both to be justified.

Chairman Wontumi, however, spent the night behind bars at the EOCO headquarters in Accra after failing to meet the full bail conditions.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, May 29, Mr Afenyo-Markin declared that the Minority would boycott all parliamentary proceedings until the EOCO reviews and varies the bail conditions of Chairman Wontumi and releases him from custody.

“The NPP side, however, our numbers, we will protest by absenting ourselves from the proceedings of this House,” the Minority Leader said.

“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 called on his colleagues on the Majority side to stand in solidarity.

Prior to the walkout, the Minority MPs rose to their feet, chanting a line from Ghana’s national anthem — “and help us to resist oppressors’ rule with all our will and might forevermore.”

They repeated the same anthem’s line in a symbolic act of defiance while they walked out.

The MPs, after walking out of the chamber, announced that they were trekking to the offices of EOCO, which is about 30 minutes away from the premises of Parliament.

Source: MyJoyOnline