The Central Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has condemned the use of excessive and politically troubling attempt by operatives of the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) to arrest the Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, at his residence.
The party described the modus operandi of the security personnel as “unwarranted, excessive, and politically insensitive,” and appealed to President Mahama to put a stop to the intimidation and persecution of members of the NPP.
Addressing the media in Cape Coast, the Central Regional Secretary of the NPP, addressed by the Central Regional NPP Secretary, Richard Takyi-Mensah, stated that, the attempt to apprehend Rev. Ntim Fordjour demonstrates the attempt of the current administration to use state security institutions against opposition members.
“The NPP in the Central region will never sit down for us to be intimidated and persecuted. We will solidly be behind our members of parliament to ensure that they execute their duties lawfully as members of parliament” he said.
He called on well-meaning Ghanaians, Civil Society Organisations, the Christian Council and other institutions to voice out and condemn the intimidation and persecution being perpetuated by the current administration.
He alleged that the act by personnel of the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) formed part of attempts by the current administration under President John Dramani Mahama to silence and intimidate opponents.
It followed Rev. Ntim Fordjour’s public allegations regarding two suspicious flights that landed at Kotoka International Airport, which he alleged may have been involved in drug trafficking or money laundering.
According to the MP, one of the aircraft, Air MED flight L823 AM, landed in Ghana on March 20 and remained for five days without any record of transporting a patient which prompted President John Dramani Mahama to order security agencies to collaborate with the MP to investigate the allegations.
Mr Tekyi-Mensah further elaborated that some members within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) made certain statements which were tolerated by the Akufo-Addo administration and wondered why the current administration had become intolerant with views from even a member of parliament.
“Today under President Mahama’s government, they have become so intolerant to the extent that that when a member of parliament for that matter a ranking on the Defence and Interior Committee of parliament calls for the investigation of two suspicious flights that have landed in this country, the persecute and intimate him and even attempted to arrest him” he explained.
He said that it was incumbent on the MP to ensure the safety of Ghanaians, saying, “He is not just a member of parliament but a ranking member on the Defence and Interior Committee of parliament and was exercising his duties in parliament.”
He commended the Minority Leader and MP for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, for his swift and tactful handling of the situation when there was an attempt to arrest the MP for Assin South
The regional executives and members of the party, he explained, stand solidly behind Rev. Fordjour and the minority in parliament, saying, “We pat them in the back for the good job that they have done for the last three months that the NDC had been in power.”
The Minority in parliament, he emphasised, had done extremely well by uncovering a number of things over the past months and said, they deserved to be celebrated.
He also indicated that members of the region would be in their numbers to offer solidarity to Rev. Ntim-Fordjour when invited constitutionally to assist with investigations into the issue.
FROM DAVID O. YARBOI-TETTEH, CAPE COAST
