Former Minister for Tourism and Creative Arts, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, has strongly condemned the recent attempted arrest of Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, the Ranking Member of Parliament's Defence and Interior Committee, by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, 12 April, Mr Mercer questioned the legal basis for the action and described it as a troubling sign for Ghana’s democratic governance.

The attempted arrest took place on Monday, 8 April, sparking outrage among members of the Minority in Parliament.

Mr Mercer stated that after carefully reviewing Ntim Fordjour’s press statement, he was baffled by the justification for such an arrest.

“I have read Ntim Fordjour’s press statement read on behalf of the Minority Caucus in Parliament three times, and I am still at a loss as to what crime he has committed for the government to want to arrest him,” he said.

Expressing serious concern, the former Sekondi MP described the incident as indicative of creeping authoritarianism.

“What kind of lawlessness is this?” he asked. “It is early days yet, and I hope and pray that Mr Mahama’s promise of resetting is not one that resets Ghana into a military era.”

Mr Mercer called on all Ghanaians to remain vigilant and protect the democratic values enshrined in the constitution.

He further urged state institutions to act within the bounds of the law and avoid actions that could intimidate members of Parliament or undermine democratic discourse.

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