After a dramatic walkout just a day earlier, the Minority Caucus in Parliament made an unexpected return to the chamber on Friday, May 30, 2025, softening tensions sparked by the controversial arrest and bail conditions of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
The return comes amid growing political drama following Wontumi’s arrest by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on Tuesday, May 27, and subsequent bail set at GH₵50 million—a figure the NPP and its allies claim is punitive and politically charged.
Minority MPs, led by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, had staged a protest walkout on Thursday, May 29, decrying the bail amount as unreasonable and a deliberate attempt to silence a key opposition figure. “We don’t have GH₵50 million. Where is he going to get it from?” Afenyo-Markin, also the MP for Effutu, said emotionally in Parliament before leading the boycott.
The Minority Leader declared the caucus’s total withdrawal from parliamentary proceedings and expressed unwavering solidarity with Wontumi. “We will stand with him. If it means we have to spend nights with him, we will do so,” he asserted.
Despite this bold posture, Minority MPs were back in Parliament less than 24 hours later, participating in regular business. Though no official explanation was given for the reversal, the sudden return points to possible back-channel talks, political pressure, or reassurances received regarding the fairness of the legal process.
In the midst of the controversy, Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem-Sai issued a public statement confirming that Wontumi is under investigation for alleged criminal offences, including fraud, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state. He added that asset recovery measures are already underway as part of EOCO’s probe.
“Suspect BERNARD ANTWI BOASIAKO, a.k.a. Chairman Wontumi, is under investigation for various criminal offences,” Justice Srem-Sai wrote on X (formerly Twitter), signaling the seriousness of the case.
While the Minority’s initial protest highlighted concerns over judicial overreach and fairness, their swift return raises questions about internal strategy, unity, and the potential fallout of politicizing ongoing legal matters.
As investigations continue and political tensions simmer, all eyes remain on how both the legal and parliamentary arms of government will handle the unfolding Wontumi saga.
