The National Coordinator for the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has disclosed that the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) suspended its planned arrest of Assin South MP, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, following an intervention by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
Speaking on Channel One TV on Thursday, April 10, Vanderpuye explained that Afenyo-Markin made an appeal to National Security, requesting that he be allowed to personally present Rev. Fordjour to their office by 10:00 a.m. that same day. According to Vanderpuye, the authorities granted this request, resulting in the suspension of the planned operation.
Addressing concerns over the MP’s absence from Parliament during the time of the attempted arrest, Vanderpuye noted that such occurrences are not unusual and emphasized that Members of Parliament are not immune to arrest.
“The fact that you are a Member of Parliament does not absolve you from being arrested. It is only a privilege that must be exercised through the Speaker of Parliament,” he clarified.
Vanderpuye also criticised the reaction of Minority MPs who gathered at Rev. Fordjour’s residence in response to the operation, describing their actions as overly dramatic and unnecessary.
“What happened was more of a drama. The Minority Leader had already agreed with government officials on how to handle the matter. His plea is what led to the suspension of the operation,” he stated.
He reiterated that the government acted in good faith and listened to the request out of respect for due process.
“Because we are a listening government, we allowed and accepted his plea,” Vanderpuye concluded, adding that without the intervention, there was a risk the Minority might have interfered with the lawful actions of the security operatives.
