Former Energy Minister and New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairman aspirant, Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, has called on the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to release the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour-Awuah, on bail.
Mr Agyarko said the continued detention of the MP is unnecessary, particularly after he voluntarily reported himself to EOCO with his lawyers on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
In a statement issued in Kumasi on Friday, October 2, Mr Agyarko said he had learnt with “deep concern” of the arrest and continued detention of the Manhyia South MP.
He expressed solidarity with Mr Baffour-Awuah, his family, constituents and colleagues at the Ghana Bar, while stressing that the case should be handled in accordance with due process.
According to him, the MP had demonstrated his willingness to cooperate with investigators by voluntarily presenting himself to EOCO after an earlier attempt to arrest him at the Accra High Court on September 23.
Mr Agyarko noted that the earlier incident occurred while Mr Baffour-Awuah was at the court representing a client.
“Hon. Baffour-Awuah has done what every responsible citizen and lawmaker should do,” Mr Agyarko said, arguing that a person who voluntarily reports to an investigative agency with his lawyers should not be considered a flight risk.
He maintained that reasonable bail could adequately address any concerns investigators might have while allowing the MP to remain available to assist with ongoing investigations.
“Keeping him in custody serves no purpose that reasonable bail cannot serve equally well,” he said.
Mr Agyarko was careful to state that his intervention is not a demand for preferential treatment for an NPP member.
He said the party’s position should instead be anchored in constitutional principles applicable to every Ghanaian.
“No one is above the law, and the NPP does not ask for special treatment for any of its members,” he said.
“What we ask for is what every Ghanaian is entitled to under the 1992 Constitution: fairness, due process, the presumption of innocence and the protection of personal liberty.”
He also stressed the need for investigative institutions to operate professionally and independently.
According to him, agencies such as EOCO serve the Republic rather than any political party and must therefore conduct their work in a manner that is proportionate and free from political considerations.
He warned that perceptions of political interference could undermine public confidence in state institutions.
“Investigative agencies serve the Republic, not any political party. Their work must be professional, proportionate and seen to be free from political motive, otherwise public confidence in our institutions suffers,” he said.
Mr Agyarko also referred to concerns raised by the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) regarding the arrest of lawyers on court premises while they are representing clients.
He said the development, coupled with the detention of opposition figures, had generated unease among sections of the public.
“Many Ghanaians are watching with growing unease as opposition voices find themselves on the receiving end of state power,” he said.
He therefore appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to ensure that security and investigative agencies operate with restraint and even-handedness.
Mr Agyarko said citizens should not feel threatened by the state because they hold political views different from those of the government.
He subsequently called on EOCO to grant the Manhyia South MP bail without further delay and allow the investigation to continue while he remains out of custody.
“I therefore call on EOCO to release Hon. Baffour-Awuah on bail without further delay and to continue any inquiries with him as a free man, as the law allows,” he said.
With the NPP’s National Delegates Conference taking place in Kumasi, Mr Agyarko also appealed to party supporters to remain calm and express their solidarity with the detained MP peacefully.
He urged party members in Manhyia South, the Ashanti Region and other parts of the country to avoid actions that could breach the law.
“To our party faithful in Manhyia South, the Ashanti Region and across the country, especially as we gather for our National Delegates Conference, I appeal for calm,” he said.
“Let us express our solidarity peacefully and within the law.”
Mr Agyarko said the NPP’s response to the matter should remain consistent with its stated commitment to the rule of law.
He further pledged that, if elected National Chairman, his administration would support party members facing adversity through legal assistance and other forms of institutional support.
“The NPP I seek to lead will stand by every member who faces adversity, with legal support, with our presence and with principle,” he said.
“We will not be intimidated, and we will not be provoked. The rule of law must prevail.”
By 1960news.com
