Minority Threatens Parliamentary Boycott Until EOCO Varies Chairman Wontumi’s Bail Conditions
- The Minority in Parliament has expressed dissatisfaction over the continued detention of NPP's Chairman Wontumi
- Minority leader, Afenyo-Markin, warned the caucus will boycott parliamentary proceedings until bail conditions are varied
- EOCO set bail at GH¢50 million with two sureties, but Chairman Wontumi failed to meet the requirements for temporary release
- A private legal practitioner, Denis P.D. Wedam, shared his views on the minority's threat to boycott parliament over Chairman Wontumi's arrest
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The Minority in Parliament has expressed its dissatisfaction over the continued detention of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
According to the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, until EOCO varies its bail conditions to release Mr Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the caucus will absent itself from Parliament and refrain from participating in any parliamentary proceedings.
Source: Facebook
This follows EOCO admitting Chairman Wontumi to bail in the sum of GH¢50 million with two sureties to be justified.
The bail was intended to allow Chairman Wontumi to be temporarily released from EOCO custody pending investigations.
However, the NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman failed to meet all the requirements for his temporary release.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, May 29, 2025, the Minority Leader suggested that EOCO deliberately set a difficult bail condition to frustrate Chairman Wontumi.
Unless the bail conditions are varied for their Ashanti Regional Chairman’s release, Mr Afenyo-Markin said the NPP side in Parliament will protest proceedings in the House in the coming days.
He further called on both sides of the House to come together to fight against the injustice being meted out to Chairman Wontumi.
Read the post below:
Why Chairman Wontumi was arrested
Heavily armed operatives of the National Investigations Bureau stormed Chairman Wontumi’s residence in Kumasi on Friday, May 23, 2025, to execute a search warrant.
However, when supporters of the NPP in the Ashanti Region heard about the incident, they quickly massed at their chairman’s residence to impede the attempt.
Following this, Chairman Wontumi reported himself to the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service on Monday, May 26, 2025, in the company of his lawyers.
According to media reports, the controversial politician was cautioned and granted bail by the CID, with an instruction to return on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, to assist with ongoing investigations.
However, when he returned to the CID headquarters on Tuesday, operatives of EOCO arrested him immediately for further questioning.
Reports suggest that the outspoken regional chairman was arrested over an alleged $55 million fraud case involving his company, Akonta Mining.
Speaking to YEN.com.gh, a private legal practitioner, Denis P.D. Wedam, said that boycotts, protests and the like are all part of parliamentary activities that are allowed in law to press home demands
Read also
Wontumi's Arrest: NPP supporters beg Alhaji Masawudu Osman to ensure NPP Chairman's release
However, he said, considering the numbers in the current 9th parliament, the minority's boycott threat may not yield the desired outcome or the impact that they seek.
"Unlike the 8th parliament, where if you have a situation where one party wasn't there, it was difficult for business to carry on. This is not that kind of parliament. That even without the part that staged the walkout, the other party could still do business and do business very well. I mean, it's an opportunity cost for them," he stated.
"They felt that what they were doing at the point in time was the best for them, but for Ghanaians at large, as long as parliamentary business could not come to an end, merely because the minority staged a walkout. That's still a plus, but there is the other side of it, that even the parliamentarians themselves, not many of them, had shown up for business. So, the few that showed up and part of that few left, meant that the business of the house had to be suspended for lack of quorum. In any case," he added.
Ghanaians react to minority boycott threat
Ghanaians on social media have reacted to the minority group’s threat to boycott parliamentary proceedings over Chairman Wontumi.
Below are some of the comments:
@New_Mehn said:
"Confused minority, are they in Parliament to serve Wontumi or we the people?"
@rossoneriboi also said:
"Imagine my surprise. You lot can gtfo who needs you to work."
@rfnuhu commented:
"Is Wontumi a parliamentarian? OMG!"
Source: Facebook
Bawumia reacts to Chairman Wontumi's arrest
YEN.com.gh reported that former Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has raised concerns over the arrest and detention of Chairman Wontumi.
Dr Bawumia called for strict adherence to constitutional rights and due process amid unclear charges and unknown whereabouts.
Chairman Wontumi was arrested by EOCO over an alleged $55 million fraud case involving his company, Akonta Mining.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
