The Majority Chief Whip in Parliament, Mr Nelson Rockson Dafeamekpor, has assured the public that the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asante Akyem North, Mr Kwame Ohene Frimpong, who is currently being held at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is safe and in good condition.
Speaking on an Accra local FM station yesterday, Mr Dafeamekpor said information available to parliamentary leadership indicated that the MP had not been subjected to any form of abuse or mistreatment while in detention.
“He is well. He is fine and nothing untoward has happened to him. He is only in detention,” he stated.
According to him, Parliament and Ghanaian authorities are actively engaging the relevant officials to gather more details about the incident.
Mr Dafeamekpor disclosed that preliminary information suggested the detention was linked to a warrant reportedly issued by authorities in the United States, although Parliament was yet to receive full details regarding the contents or basis of the warrant.
The development was earlier confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Clerk to Parliament, Rev. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror.
The statement noted that Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, together with the leadership of the House, was in contact with Ghana’s Mission in The Hague to obtain official information on the matter.
“The Rt. Hon. Speaker and the Leadership of the House are in touch with Ghana’s Mission in The Hague for detailed information on the matter. The public will be duly informed appropriately,” the statement said.
Mr Frimpong, an entrepreneur and first-time legislator in Ghana’s 9th Parliament, won the Asante Akyem North seat as an independent candidate in the 2024 general election after securing a commanding victory over candidates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The MP gained nationwide attention in February last year when he delivered a full parliamentary contribution in Asante Twi before translating it into English in line with parliamentary procedure.
He explained at the time that his decision was inspired by requests from his constituents, who wanted parliamentary proceedings communicated in a language they better understood, in an effort to strengthen the connection between Parliament and the people.
BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY
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