Former Bortianor-Ngleshie Amanfro Member of Parliament, Sylvester Tetteh, has cautioned the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government against what he described as the intimidation of opposition figures following the arrest of former Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD) Executive Secretary, Dennis Edward Aboagye, popularly known as Miracles Aboagye.
Speaking on the matter, Tetteh warned that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would not forget the treatment being meted out to its members, invoking the party’s elephant symbol.
“The elephant never forgets what you’re doing to Miracles Aboagye today,” he said.
Tetteh accused the government of using state institutions, including the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), to target opposition members, claiming such actions had been ongoing since President John Dramani Mahama assumed office.
According to him, journalists have repeatedly visited EOCO over similar cases, questioning the outcomes of those investigations.
He also challenged the basis of the allegations against Miracles Aboagye, arguing that he served only as a coordinator and was not responsible for awarding contracts or authorising payments.
“No contract was awarded under his tenure. He never signed a cheque, and there has been no World Bank report indicating that project funds were lost. So what is the basis of these allegations?” he questioned.
Tetteh further alleged that Aboagye’s arrest was politically motivated and linked to his decision to contest for a national executive position within the NPP.
“The day Miracles declared his intention to contest for a national officer position in the NPP was the day they decided to go after him,” he claimed.
He maintained that the NDC would not succeed in silencing critics, insisting that the NPP had overcome similar challenges in the past.
“The NDC government can never silence decent voices in this country. Miracles will not be here forever, and there are thousands more who will continue to speak,” he said.
The former MP also criticised EOCO’s handling of the case, arguing that investigators should have invited Aboagye to assist with investigations in the presence of his lawyers instead of arresting him.
“EOCO is not a courtroom. Cases are determined in court, not at EOCO,” he stated.
He further reminded EOCO Chief Executive Raymond Archer that public office is temporary and urged him to carry out his duties professionally.
“EOCO existed before Raymond Archer and will continue to exist after him. Every public officer is transient. Power is transient,” he said.
Tetteh also suggested that investigators could impose excessively difficult bail conditions, saying, “They’ll wait until evening and ask you to bring Jesus’ beard before granting bail.”
Despite his concerns, he expressed confidence that Miracles Aboagye would eventually be released, stressing that the NPP remained committed to democratic principles and would continue to speak out against what it considers political intimidation.
