The Member of Parliament for Okaikoi Central, Hon. Patrick Yaw Boamah, has condemned claims that he deliberately refused to join the Minority Caucus’s protest at the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over the arrest of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako (aka Chairman Wontumi).
He described the accusations as ‘pure mischief’ by political detractors.
Speaking on the matter during an interview in Parliament on Monday, Patrick Boamah clarified that he had no prior knowledge of the planned protest, having only learned about it after seeing it on television.
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“The protest was not planned and coordinated so I was not aware of it. I saw it on TV just like everyone else,” he stated.
The lawmaker further explained that the Minority held a caucus meeting earlier taht day but there was no discussion or agreement about staging a protest at EOCO.
“When Parliament reconvened, our Minority Leader was in Abuja on ECOWAS business. It was our Deputy Leader who presented the Minority’s position. I stayed in the Chamber the entire time. I can even show you messages between myself and the Chief Whip later that evening,” Boamah disclosed.
He suggested that the decision to march to EOCO may have been taken spontaneously while many MPs, including himself, were not present in the Chamber.
“So why single me out? Maybe somebody has a problem with me. But that’s politics for you. You can’t always have everyone liking you. People will be mischievous one way or the other,” he said.
Hon. Boamah also cited past instances where his absence from controversial events was used to question his commitment—most notably during the vetting of MPs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Samuel Nartey George. He clarified that he was on official leave attending a pre-arranged meeting in South Africa.
“But I was present at the Chief Justice’s demonstration. I was in the House of Reverend John Ntim Fordjour too. That one, people wouldn’t see. But it’s okay. Let’s leave it. It’s politics,” he stressed.
By Osumanu Al-Hassan/thenewsbulletin24.com