Parliament confirms detention of Asante Akyem North MP in Amsterdam

Parliament has confirmed that the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Kwame Ohene Frimpong, has been detained at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The development was announced in an official statement issued by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, who said the House had formally been informed of the incident and had begun engaging Ghana’s diplomatic mission in The Hague for further details.

According to the statement, the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, together with the leadership of the House, is closely monitoring the matter while seeking clarity on the circumstances surrounding the detention of the lawmaker.

“It has come to the attention of Parliament that the Hon Member for Asante Akyem North Constituency, Mr Kwame Ohene Frimpong, has been detained at the Schipol Airport, Amsterdam in the Netherlands,” portions of the statement read.

“The Rt Hon Speaker and the Leadership of the House are in touch with Ghana’s Mission in The Hague for detailed information on the matter. The public will be duly informed appropriately on this matter,” it added.

The statement, however, did not disclose the reasons behind the detention or indicate whether any formal charges had been brought against the legislator.

Parliament assured the public that updates would be provided as soon as more information becomes available from Ghanaian diplomatic authorities in the Netherlands.

News of the detention has since generated significant public attention, with discussions emerging over the circumstances leading to the incident and its possible implications.

Mr Frimpong entered Parliament after contesting the 2024 parliamentary election as an independent candidate in the Asante Akyem North Constituency.

He secured victory over former Member of Parliament Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, who previously represented the constituency.

Following his election to Parliament, Mr Frimpong aligned himself with the Majority Caucus in the House.

The MP has since been regarded as one of the few independent lawmakers in the current Parliament, with his decision to side with the Majority contributing to parliamentary numbers and proceedings.