Private legal practitioner Amanda Clinton has questioned the manner in which the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Kwame Ohene Frimpong, was arrested and detained in the Netherlands, saying the optics of the situation do not reflect well on Ghana.
Speaking with Sammie Wiafe on Channel One TV’s What the Papers are Saying on Thursday, May 14, Amanda Clinton argued that the matter could have been handled differently to protect Ghana’s image and sovereignty.
According to her, if claims by the Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, that Ghana’s security agencies were aware of the situation are accurate, then the authorities should have managed the process locally rather than allowing it to unfold publicly abroad.
She further suggested that the government could also have publicly dismissed the allegations if they lacked merit, instead of allowing the issue to escalate diplomatically.
Amanda Clinton maintained that the handling of the matter creates the impression that either Ghanaian authorities were unaware of developments or lacked control over the process.
“I think it was about the optics of how this played out. Because, should the Majority Chief Whip [Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor] be right that our security agencies were aware, then optics, internationally and locally, it would have been better if Ghana handled this for sovereignty.
“We handle it from our shores, and we determine if he’s guilty; we extradite him like any other person. Or come out with a very strong message that it’s a witch-hunt for nothing. It could have been handled better,” she said.
She added, “I think behind closed doors, leadership will be upset as to how this has been handled diplomatically. Because it makes it look like either they didn’t know what was going on, or if they did know, they didn’t have control as to how they expelled him.”
Parliament on Tuesday, May 12, confirmed that the Independent MP had been detained at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.
In a statement signed by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Parliament said it had been formally informed of the development and was engaging Ghana’s diplomatic mission in The Hague to gather further details.
