He is an MP, known everywhere, so I don't understand Baffour Awuah's detention - Kwarteng

A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwasi Kwarteng has criticised the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for the detention of Manhyia South lawmaker Baffour Awuah.

Kwarteng makes the point that EOCO could have granted him self-recognition bail because Baffour Awuah is a Member of Parliament and has people to vouch for him.

Although Kwarteng agrees that there has to be accountability, he has issues with the form the EOCO is demanding accountability.

"At no point should you use bail as a punishment. I do not see how the state agency, EOCO, denied him bail when he is a known person, MP, and even presented himself.

"His rights are being abused, and that is not fair. EOCO has no right to detain him," he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, October 3.

For his part, CEO of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, said he was confident that the Manhyia South lawmaker, Baffour Awuah, will be granted bail by the court when he appears today, Saturday, October 3.

Edudzi indicated that if the initial February invitation to the lawmaker was honoured, he would probably not be in this situation today.

"The MP for Manhyia South will be put before the court this morning; I am confident that he will be granted bail," he also said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, October 3.

Mr Tameklo further stated that if lawmakers want the procedure for arresting any of them amended, they can present a private members' bill to amend the criminal procedures.

"If the MPs want the process of arresting lawmakers amended, they can do that through a Private Members' Bill for the criminal procedures to be amended," he said.

Edudzi further said that the Economic and Organised Crime Office is not in breach of any law in the matter of Baffour Awuah.

He makes the point that the EOCO has so far acted within the laws to handle this matter.

"As we speak now, EOCO has not violated any of our laws...I have no doubt that if all if bail, within the wisdom of EOCO, could have been granted the same day to the extent that the bail would not interfere in the investigation," he said.

He stressed, "As we speak, EOCO hasn’t violated the law because Article 14 states that a person under investigation must be put before a court within 48 hours."

For his part, Lawmayer Martin Kpebu said that the Economic and Organised Crime Office goofed in the way it conducted itself in the matter of Baffour Awuah, in custody helps their case.

He said that there is no way he will be convinced that keeping Baffour Awuah in custody helps EOCO's case.

Kpebu argued that, as long as Baffour Awuah has been aware of this case since February but did not abscond, keeping him in custody is not the best.

"Since Baffour Awuah became aware of this in February and didn't run away, I will never understand the detention. There is no way Eoco can be convinced.

"Keeping Baffour Awuah in custody helps their case....The Supreme Court has ruled that every offence is bailable," he also said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, October 3.

"I am still wondering why EOCO had to keep Baffour Awuah for 4 hours without questioning him. EOCO goofed," he added.

The Economic and Organised Crime Office has said that the Manhyia South MP, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, will be put before a weekend court.

In a news release dated 2nd October, 2026 and signed by the Head of Corporate Affairs and Public Education for the Executive Director, EOCO said it is working with the Office of the Attorney-General to meet constitutional timelines.

According to EOCO: "Following the voluntary surrender of Nana Baffour Agyei Awuah on October 1, 2026 at 10 am yesterday, the Office wishes to inform the general public that the Office continues with the various and necessary investigative, procedural and operational processes."

"Suspect Nana Baffour Agyei Awuah is cooperating with the Office to continue with the necessary investigative processes and procedures."

The Office stated further that "Mindful of the applicable constitutional timeframes and procedural requirements governing bail, the Office is fervently working with the Office of the Attorney-General to bring the Suspect before a weekend court."

EOCO also dismissed claims that the former MP has been granted bail.

"The Office also wishes to urge the public to disregard media reports that the Office has granted the Suspect a GH₵50 million bail," the statement added.

Baffour Awuah voluntarily surrendered to EOCO on October 1 and has been in custody since then, with Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and other NPP officials visiting him on October 2.

After the visit, Mr Afenyo-Markin likened the conduct of the NDC Government to a police officer determined to arrest a driver at all costs.

He said the Mahama-led administration is deliberately finding faults to persecute opposition members.

"Those of you who have cars, if a police officer arrests you or stops you and first asks you your license, you give him license. The next, where is your triangle? The next thing, where is your fire extinguisher? That is exactly what NDC is doing. It's not fair. We are all in this system together. We are all in this together as one big family. We are supposed to sustain the democracy," he lamented.

According to Afenyo-Markin, Baffour Awuah is being victimised because he is one of the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) sharpest voices in Parliament.

"Every one of my colleagues is being pursued in one form or the other. Sometimes as a leader, you have colleagues who are supposed to interrogate matters, scrutinize and they are afraid. Baffour was one of our young sharpshooters, hard working. And look at what is happening today. But this will not break us," he said.

He said the former MP remains in high spirits despite his situation.

"Seeing him behind the counter in cells, I told him that look, the forebearers who brought this party into being suffered more than you. So Baffour, don't give up. He's in high spirit," he added.

The Minority Leader accused the government of perpetuating a cycle of political witch-hunting, warning that it is making it difficult for moderate voices within the NPP to preach restraint.

"What NDC is doing, they are making it extremely difficult for even moderates within NPP to call for calm tomorrow. They are making it difficult. They are causing a lot of pain. We must bring an end to this vicious cycle of a political party coming into office and its first focus is attack opponents, find fault, find excuse," he said.

He further alleged that the government is using corruption tags to silence critics, including social media activists.

"If you talk, then they want to tag you with corruption. Thinking that if they tag you with corruption, that is the end. That will shut you. Then you can't talk. TikTokers, social media activists, they are putting fear into them. No problem. The wicked shall not long be victorious. They shall not long possess the skies," he stated.

Afenyo-Markin also called on NPP members to stay united and focused on the party's future.

"I call on every NPP member to seize this opportunity and stay committed to the cause of the party. We need unity. Unity to bring our flag bearer to power and to work for the people of Ghana," he said.

He ended with a challenge to the NDC to point to a defining legacy project of President John Dramani Mahama by 2028.

"So, I throw this back to my friends in NDC. If we get to 2028 and the people are demanding a single initiative that His Excellency President Mahama would be remembered for, what is that one thing? I leave the answer to them. I'm sad," he said.