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Minority Members of Parliament staged a walkout on Thursday, May 29, in protest of the bail conditions imposed on New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi.
Chairman Wontumi was arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on Tuesday, May 27, after voluntarily reporting to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for questioning. He was subsequently transferred to the EOCO headquarters in Accra for further investigation into allegations of causing financial loss to the state.
Although he was granted a bail set at GH¢50 million with two sureties, both to be justified, Wontumi remained in custody after failing to meet the full bail requirements.
Addressing Parliament, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin announced that the Minority would abstain from all parliamentary proceedings until EOCO reconsiders and relaxes the bail conditions to allow for Chairman Wontumi’s release.
“The NPP side, however, our numbers, we will protest by absenting ourselves from the proceedings of this House,” he stated.
He urged members of the Majority to join in solidarity, emphasizing that the current situation is unjust and must be addressed.
Before walking out, the Minority MPs rose and chanted a line from Ghana’s national anthem, “and help us to resist oppressors’ rule with all our will and might forevermore”, in a symbolic act of resistance.
The MPs then exited the chamber and announced they would proceed on foot to the EOCO office, approximately 30 minutes from Parliament, to further press for Wontumi’s release.
