The Assembly Member for the Odumase CPC Electoral Area, Isaac Owusu, has questioned why the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) allegedly approached the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South without first following parliamentary procedure.

Reacting to a video of the incident, Owusu said that if the individuals involved were indeed EOCO officials, the MP should have been formally invited through the Speaker of Parliament.

“Parliament has a Speaker, and if EOCO wants to invite a Member of Parliament for questioning, the appropriate procedure is to write to the Speaker, who will then inform the MP,” he said.

According to him, the failure to follow due process could undermine Ghana’s democratic principles and create fear among citizens.

He also questioned why the alleged EOCO officials did not clearly identify themselves or present an official invitation, warrant or other documentation before asking the MP to accompany them.

“Someone cannot simply approach you and ask you to follow them without showing where they are taking you or providing official identification. There was also an unmarked pickup vehicle, which made the situation even more worrying.”

The Assembly Member said the incident could be interpreted as an attempt to forcibly take the MP away, adding that the lawmaker’s decision to resist was understandable under the circumstances.

“If it had happened to me, I would have reacted in the same way because I would not know where the person was taking me or whether my safety was guaranteed,” he said.

Owusu further expressed concern that the incident could damage Ghana’s reputation as one of Africa’s leading democracies.

“The whole world is watching how we manage our democracy. We must ensure that the right procedures are followed so that our democratic credentials are not undermined,” he said.

He therefore appealed to EOCO to publicly explain the circumstances surrounding the incident, including why the Manhyia South MP was approached and whether the persons involved were authorised officials of the office.

He said such an explanation would help address public concerns and dispel suspicions of political persecution.

“For fairness and transparency, EOCO must come out and explain what happened and why the MP was approached in that manner. The explanation will help clear doubts and assure the public that the matter is being handled lawfully,” he said.