Amenfi East NPP parliamentary candidate granted bail

Ernest Frimpong, the 2024 parliamentary candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for Amenfi East Constituency, has been released by the Tarkwa Police Command in the Western Region.

Frimpong was released on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, after police obtained a statement from him regarding comments made in a viral video about soldiers.

The candidate was arrested when a video circulated in which he controversially pushed illegal miners to fight and confront soldiers attempting to prevent their operations, arguing that no soldier has the right to stop mining.

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He said that his statements were taken out of context during a two-hour meeting with artisanal small-scale miners, and that his intentions were misinterpreted.

Addressing the miners, Ernest Frimpong disclosed that the government had abolished all anti-galamsey task teams, including “Operation Halt” and “Galamstop.”

As a result, he stated that soldiers had the power to prevent anyone from mining.

Frimpong stated that if a soldier pretends to be on patrol, that is okay because police and security patrols protect miners against robbery.

He did, however, propose that miners willingly offer money for fuel, which he would not oppose. He strongly instructed miners to oppose soldiers who attempted to disrupt their work.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has issued a caution against demands to attack soldiers in response to allegations made by Ernest Frimpong, the NPP’s parliamentary candidate for Amenfi East.

Brigadier General E. Aggrey-Quashie, GAF’s Public Relations Director, highlighted that such calls are illegal and jeopardize national security.

The military denounced any calls to violence against soldiers and urged the people to respect and support security forces.

The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, and other party executives were present when this statement was made.

Brigadier General E. Aggrey-Quashie said in a statement released on Monday, June 10, 2024, that his organization had taken note of viral videos on social media calling for attacks on soldiers and other security officials.

He emphasized that the military strongly wishes to warn the public against such statements.