The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is demanding the government disclose the terms of agreement backing the decision to resettle the two former detainees and Yemeni terror suspects from the American Guantanamo Bay Prison.
The two, Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby, were brought into the country after government agreed to accept them for a period of two years after which they may leave the country.
[contextly_sidebar id=”L29btwgrE7oLx80NuNMHvCF1HybokooU”]The two former detainees had been in detention for 14 years, after being linked with terrorist group Al-Qaeda.
In a statement signed by the acting General secretary, John Boadu, the NPP among other things, questioned why government had not disclosed the terms of the resettlement and why parliament had not been informed of this issue with national security implications.
“Why was Parliament not informed, especially since the issue touches on and concerns terrorism and national security?” they ask.
They also accused the government of smuggling the former Guantanamo detainees into Ghana after the ministry of foreign affairs gave the impression the they were yet to arrive in a statement announcing the country was providing humanitarian assistance to persons from Rwanda, Syria and Yemen.
The statement asks, “Why did Government smuggle the detainees into Ghana only to give the impression that they were yet to arrive?”
The NPP is of the view government, by accepting the Yemeni prisoners, are ignoring provisions in the Anti-Terrorism Act 762 which prevents the admission of suspected terrorists into Ghana.
“Why has Government chosen to ignore the relevant provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act (Act 762) which clearly frowns on the admission of suspected terrorists into Ghana? Section 35(1) of Act 762 states as follows: “The director of immigration or an officer authorised by the director shall not grant an endorsement or authority to permit a person to enter this country if there is reasonable ground to suspect that the person is, will or has been involved in the commission of a terrorist act!”
Below is the full statement outlining 8 critical questions posed by the NPP:
NPP DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY FROM GOVERNMENT OVER GUANTANAMO DETAINEES
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) shares the deep anxiety and fears of the Ghanaian people over the resettlement of the two former Guantanamo terrorist detainees – Mahmud Umar Muhammed Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammed Salih Al-Dhuby-in Ghana.
We are concerned that the decision was made without any consultation whatsoever with Parliament, political parties and other stakeholders. The conduct of the Government raises a number of important questions and we join the Ghanaian people in demanding answers to the following pertinent questions in the spirit of full disclosure.
- What foreign policy considerations went into the decision to resettle the detainees?
- Why was the agreement to resettle the detainees in Ghana shrouded in secrecy?
- Why was Parliament not informed, especially since the issue touches on and concerns terrorism and national security?
- Why has Government chosen to ignore the relevant provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act (Act 762) which clearly frowns on the admission of suspected terrorists into Ghana? Section 35(1) of Act 762 states as follows: “The director of immigration or an officer authorised by the director shall not grant an endorsement or authority to permit a person to enter this country if there is reasonable ground to suspect that the person IS, WILL OR HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE COMMISSION OF A TERRORIST ACT!”
- Why has the Government not disclosed the terms of agreement, nature and full extent of the consideration received in exchange for resettling the detainees?
- Why is the Government hiding the true violent and dangerous profiles of the two detainees, as disclosed in official US Government information portals, from the Ghanaian people?
- Why is Government straining to paint a picture of the two detainees as harmless misunderstood and wrongly detained persons?
- Why did Government smuggle the detainees into Ghana only to give the impression that they were yet to arrive?
It cannot be in the interest of good governance that such critical matters should be agreed to by Government on the blind side of the people in whose midst these former terrorist detainees are supposed to live. The proverbial Ghanaian hospitality should not be put at such risk.
Signed:
John Boadu, GENERAL SECRETARY (AG)
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By Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana