The National Coordinator for the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has disclosed that the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) suspended its planned operation to arrest the Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, following a plea from the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Thursday, April 10, Vanderpuye revealed that the Minority Leader had appealed to National Security to allow him to personally present Rev. Ntim Fordjour, who also serves as the Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee at their office by 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 11.
According to Vanderpuye, the request was granted, prompting the authorities to call off the operation.
“What happened yesterday is not news. The Member of Parliament was not in Parliament as the operation was going on. The invitation through the Speaker is only when there is an invitation. The fact that you are a Member of Parliament does not absolve you from being arrested, but it is only a privilege that you have and that privilege is only exercised through the Speaker,” he explained.
Vanderpuye criticized the actions of the Minority at Fordjour’s residence, describing them as unnecessary and theatrical.
“What happened yesterday was a drama because the Minority Leader asked him whether he has not agreed with government officials on how to exercise this right. He had an agreement with our people that at any point in time, any of his people are needed, he will voluntarily present them,” he said.
“Afenyo-Markin yesterday pleaded that he will present Ntim Fordjour today at 10 a.m. That is what led to the abrogation of the operation. Other than that, all of them would have spent the night in his house and held a vigil to prevent the National Security from exercising their duty. And because we are a listening government, we allowed and accepted his plea,” Vanderpuye added.
The attempted arrest follows allegations made by Rev. John Ntim Fordjour regarding two suspicious flights that recently landed at Kotoka International Airport under circumstances he suggested may involve drug trafficking and money laundering.
In response, officials from the NIB moved to detain him at his residence before the intervention by the Minority Leader led to the suspension of the operation.
