Parliament has stated that it has no records confirming the enlistment, rank, or discharge of the Member of Parliament for Abetifi and former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, from the United States Army or any branch of the US Armed Forces.
The clarification was contained in a response issued under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2019 (Act 989) following a request by a Ghanaian citizen, Edison Osbert Lartey.
Dr. Acheampong, who is also an aspiring flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has in the past referenced military service in the United States, a claim that resurfaced during his vetting as Minister-designate in 2023.
Details of the RTI Request
In his application, Lartey asked Parliament to confirm whether it had received from Dr. Acheampong:
- Details of his rank of enlistment and discharge from the United States Air Force or any other branch of the US Armed Forces; and a copy of a Certificate of Honourable Discharge or any official documentation confirming such service.
The request follows Dr. Acheampong’s assurance during his ministerial vetting before the Appointments Committee on February 20, 2023, that he would submit records detailing his enlistment and discharge from the US military.
Parliament’s Response
In its official response, signed by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Parliament stated that no such records were ever submitted.
“There is no record indicating that details of Honourable Bryan Acheampong’s rank of enlistment or discharge from the United States Air Force, or any other branch of the United States Armed Forces, were submitted to the leadership of Parliament or to the Appointments Committee,” the response said.
Parliament further noted that it also does not have on record any certificate of honourable discharge or related documentation confirming Dr. Acheampong’s alleged service.
“Consequently, Parliament is unable to provide certified copies or further particulars relating to the rank of enlistment and discharge, as no such documentation was presented,” the statement added.
Legal Basis
Parliament stressed that the response was issued strictly in compliance with the Right to Information Act, which obliges public institutions to disclose only information in their possession.
The RTI response does not determine whether Dr. Acheampong served in the US military, but confirms that Parliament itself has no official documentation to that effect.
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