Ag. CEO, Ghana Shippers Authority, Prof. Ransford Gyampo, believes that it will be easy for members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to meet the 50 million Cedis bail condition for their Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi).
He expresses the view that the main challenge is their fear of using their properties to bail out Chairman Wontumi.
“Are we to be fooled into believing that the GHC50 million bail is too much for the NPP to meet? They are just afraid of using their properties to bail Wontumi,” Prof Gyamopo said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, May 31.
He asked, “they think we don’t know what they have?”
Earlier, President and CEO of the Institute for Security, Disaster and Emergency Studies, Dr Ishmael Norman, also wondered why the New Patriotic Party has not been able to find a way out to meet the 50 million Cedis bail condition for Chairman Wontumi.
He says that with all the assets and wealth of the NPP, they should be able to meet the bail condition.
Speaking on the News Central on TV3 Friday, May 30, he said, “I empathise with the micro minority because one of their kind is under stress and is perceived to be intimidated by the state security.
“Unfortunately for them, since Kpebu’s suit at the Supreme Court and with the ruling, all offences are available but it doesn’t mean that when you are given bail condition then you can basically poopooh it.
“You have to find a way to meet the bail condition, after all they are not asking you to come and pay down 50 million cedis, it is the surety. With all the collective assets of wealth of the NPP party, they can’t put together two sureties of 50 million? Even Chairman Wontumi’s own assets are cashable, he boasts about it in Kumasi.”
His comments come at a time when the Minority leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin, asked the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to immediately revoke the 50 million Cedis bail to Chairman Wontumi.
According to him, the bail condition was just to punish Wontumi. The Minority Leader’s first day on the floor since the House resumed on Tuesday, May 27.
There was near drama as the first deputy speaker, who was in the chair, drew the minority leader’s attention to orders 93 and 67 of Parliament’s Standing Orders.
But members on his rise in their feet, chanting and singing portions of the national anthem.
The Speaker finally granted him (the Minority Leader) leave to raise his concerns. Afenyo Markin stressed the need for the rule of law to be enforced, noting Chairman Wontumi is unwell and has been sent to the NIB clinic.
