Gov’t threatens to arrest NPP MP

Hon. Dominic Ntiwul, Bimbilla MP

THE GOVERNMENT has hinted that it would not hesitate to arrest the New Patriotic Party (NPP) legislator for Bimbilla in the Northern Region, Hon. Dominic Ntiwul, should any communal violence break up in his constituency.

According to a deputy Minister for Information, James Agyenim Boateng, the MP has not only incited the residents of Bimbilla to engage in violent acts, but also the beating of war drums.

The MP alleged in a recent radio interview that the Kokomba-Nanumba conflict could reignite, due to an assault case being handled by the police in the area. Mr. Agyenim Boateng contended that the MP's comment was a calculated attempt to incite residents of Bimbilla to breach the peace that they are currently enjoying.

Hon. Agyenim-Boateng told this paper in an interview yesterday that 'Hon. Nitiwul's comments are a calculated attempt to incite the people. He is beating war drums and inciting the people. The security agencies are monitoring his comments, and if the peace is breached, he would be held responsible.'

According to the deputy Minister, 'as a Member of Parliament he should know better. He should not try to undermine the judiciary. We are sending this signal to him that the security agencies would hold him responsible if violence breaks out in Bimbilla.'

Mr. Agyenim-Boateng argued that the comments made by the MP amounted to interference in the work of the judiciary, and that he has no locus to direct the police or the court on how to handle the case.

He prevailed upon the MP to have faith and believe in the judiciary, rather than to attempt to undermine it. 'We should all have faith and believe in the judiciary. Let's allow the due process to be followed. It is regrettable that the MP is trying to incite the people by his comment.'

Dominic Ntiwul, the NPP MP for Bimbilla, on a radio programme on Tuesday, alleged that the tension in Bimbilla was rising, following the arrest one of the indigenes from Kokomba, over an assault case.

According to the MP, he has been receiving a number of phone calls from the area over the matter, and that he as the representative of the constituents, wants to ensure that the case was withdrawn from the court for amicable settlement.

Dominic Ntiwul alleged that his attempt to ensure that the matter was resolved hit a snag, hence his decision to go public on the matter.

His account was dismissed by the District Chief Executive for Bimbilla, Hon. Mohammed Ibn Bass. According to the MCE, what transpired on the day was purely an assault case, and rather faulted the MP for introducing tribal politics into the case.