Prof. Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, a law lecturer at the University of Ghana, has condemned the Minority in Parliament for their dramatic protest against the continued detention of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, commonly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Chairman Wontumi was arrested on May 27 by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) following a prior arrest by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). Although he was granted bail of GHC50 million on May 28, his release has been delayed due to a pending High Court application to review the bail terms.
On May 29, Minority MPs staged a walkout from Parliament and marched to EOCO headquarters, where they protested on the ground, arguing that Wontumi should have been granted self-recognizance bail due to his public standing and perceived low flight risk.
Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV, Prof. Appiagyei-Atua dismissed the protest as unnecessary and politically motivated. He stated, “I think it was needless, just to create some drama and attention, which in the end could have led to lawlessness.”
He expressed disappointment that some protesting MPs, who are lawyers, seemed to disregard legal procedures in favor of public spectacle. “I don’t know why this time they decided to choose this route, which creates the perception that they want to politicize the situation,” he added.
The ongoing case has generated significant public interest and political tension, with NPP supporters blocking roads in front of the National Intelligence Bureau after Wontumi was transferred there. A delegation of senior party officials, including the NPP’s 2024 flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, was unable to see Wontumi during a visit, further intensifying scrutiny.
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