Under the agreement, Ghana will among other things host some US troops as well as give them free access to Ghana’s radio spectrum.

[contextly_sidebar id=”PQStOcRx8tLoDbohfnlUFaxqLl8Cky2C”]They will also be given unhindered access to some of the country’s key military installations, but many Ghanaians, including pressure groups, have kicked against it, arguing that given the clauses, Ghana would be indirectly selling its sovereignty to the US.

Both the Government and the US Embassy in Ghana have both attempted to provide some clarity on the matter, saying Ghana will not permanently host  the US troops.

Despite these explanations, opposition parties last week organised a protest against the deal, insisting on a change of some of the clauses which may infringe on Ghana’s sovereignty.

Thus, some Ghanaians have taken to Twitter to seek more answers from the US embassy account on the app.

Read the exchange below:

Twitter user, Salifu Saaka Mahamud asked, “The US Ambassador was asked this question of permanency stay of US troops in Ghana by Joy FM and many media outlets in Ghana and he could not tell how long they were going to stay in Ghana. So what are they talking about?”

In the Embassy’s response, it said,

Another Twitter user said,

“…Ghanaian Authorities don’t have any right to prosecute any US Military Officer if he or she commits a crime in Ghana. 4. Tax-free to import and export 5. They can use our radio spectrum for free 6. Ghanaian Authorities don’t have any right to inspect whatever they do in Ghana…”

The response of the Embassy was;

In response to Yao Noah Nash’s question, “Why is it in the agreement that things shipped to #Ghana can’t be checked and soldiers can’t check. Can we do that in [your] country?. Why ask for frequency if [you] are here for training of Ghanaian soldiers like [you] said. I smell [a] rat.”

The Embassy said:

“Import and export without inspection of our immigration officials. This is a total mockery of our immigration laws. Only God knows what they will import,” Kamassah Richlove tweeted at the Embassy.

For its response, the Embassy said:

The Embassy’s other responses to provide clarity on the agreement are as follows:

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Brogya Genfi, is among other things, praying the Court to “set aside” the agreement on grounds that it is “not in the national interest of Ghana, and contravenes articles (1 (2), 2, 11, 33, 125, 135, 140, 75 and 73 of the 1992 constitution.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”iBNXa44jbWTPk94WRGKEyf10Uy9X9oMl”]Speaking on Eyewitness News on Monday, the former deputy Interior Minister under the John Mahama administration said the suit against the agreement was justified because Parliament had acted unconstitutionally by ratifying the deal on Friday.

According to him the document that was laid before the House for ratification did not include the signatures of the parties involved in the deal, rendering the deal and Parliament’s further actions null and void.

He added that in order for Parliament to have been able to ratify the document, it needed to have been assented to by the government.

“The agreements signed in 1998 and 2015 are fundamentally different from the 2018 agreement which was passed by Parliament unconstitutionally on Friday. If you look at the Constitution, Parliament can only pass executed international agreements, parliament does not, cannot and should not ever ratify draft agreements. But unfortunately that is what we did, we ratified an agreement that was yet to be executed,” he said.

James Agalga stated that despite drawing the attention to the alleged illegalities, Minority MPs were ignored and the deal was eventually approved.

“We drew the attention of the House, the Minority Leader did that in very clear language, we did that at the level of the Committee and yet they just railroaded the entire process and got the agreement passed. Now we have been slapped with a suit,” he added.

In the suit, which has the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akuffo and Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul as the defendants, Mr. Genfi is demanding a “declaration that the word ‘ratify’ used within the provisions of Article 75 of the 1992 constitution is a term of art which has a true meaning of incorporating international law and treaties into the domestic legal system of the Republic of Ghana and not prior approval or approval.”

Another relief being sought by the plaintiff is a declaration that the “ratification by Parliament of the supposed agreement between Ghana and the Government of United States of America on Defence Cooperation, the Status of United States Forces, and Access to and use of agreed facilities and areas in the Republic of Ghana (hereinafter referred to as Defence Co-operation Agreement) on March 24, 2018, when the supposed agreement had not been executed by the President or person authorized by the President as provided for by Article 75 of the 1992 constitution, is contrary to the said Article 75 of the 1992 constitution and same is null and void.”

When asked whether the Minority intended to file a similar claim against the deal in court, James Agalga said: “It’s our mandate to do so as citizens. I wouldn’t hesitate. At the Committee level, we raised those objections. In Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu made the statement in very clear language so we will not hesitate at all. A citizen has already taken the lead. In terms of us solidarising with the citizen, I wouldn’t hesitate.”

“A citizen felt aggrieved by the conduct of Parliament and decided to act as such. As citizens, we are enjoined to uphold the Constitution at all times so the person felt that we had violated Article 75 and decided to go to court and seek redress. it envisages that before international agreements, treaties or conventions are signed, they must first been executed by the President or his agent prior to being laid in Parliament for ratification. The agreement is not signed, the Americans did not sign it and we did not either. We didn’t want to partake in any unconstitutional behaviour,” he added.

Deal ratified

The suit comes days after Parliament ratified the pact despite stiff opposition from the Minority.

The approval was done by only Majority members because the Minority members staged a walkout during the debate on the floor of Parliament.

With the agreement ratified, it means that the US troops will among other things be exempted from paying taxes on equipment that are brought to Ghana as well as use Ghana’s radio spectrum for free.

The troops and their equipment will also have unhindered access to the US forces and their equipment.

The Government has consistently explained that it was only respecting the existing Status of Forces Agreement with the US signed since 1998 and reviewed in 2015, under the previous NDC administration.

But the NDC Minority has downplayed this argument saying the agreement as existed in the past, did not have the same clauses like the current one that gives the US unlimited access to Ghana’s military facilities.

The US Embassy in Ghana has also explained that it is only planning joint security exercises with Ghana, which will require that US military personnel are allowed access to Ghana’s military facilities and that they are not building a military base.

The deal has caused some discomfort among some sections of the public, with a group calling itself Ghana First, serving notice it will demonstrate on Wednesday, March 28, against its approval.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Minority MP backs suit against ‘unconstitutional’ US military camp deal appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This was after the caucus leader, Haruna Iddrisu, made known his side’s reservations about the agreement on the floor on Friday evening.

Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, spoke for close to 17 minutes giving a litany of reasons why they believe the agreement should not be ratified by Parliament.

Cabinet approves MoU

Ghana’s Cabinet had agreed to provide the US’ military troop a place near the Kotoka International Airport, and also give them unhindered access to some key installations following a Memorandum of Understanding between the government of Ghana and the US government.

The MoU was laid before Parliament on Tuesday recommending to Parliament to ratify the agreement, but it was rejected by the opposition in Parliament.

With the agreement ratified, it means that the US troops will among other things be exempted from paying taxes on equipment that are brought to Ghana as well as use Ghana’s radio spectrum for free.

The troops and their equipment will also have unhindered access to the US forces and their equipment.

Although many Ghanaians have expressed resentment over the clauses of the agreement, the Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, said the agreement is in the best interest of Ghana.

Minority blocks report

The Minority on Thursday blocked the laying before Parliament, the report of the Joint Committee on Defence and Interior and Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, on the agreement seeking to ratify the hosting of  US military troops in Ghana.

It was however laid today, Friday, March 23, 2018, and subsequently approved late hours on the same day.

‘Protests today, expect more Wednesday’

Earlier today [Friday], a number of protesters who tried to gain access to Parliament to kick against the anticipated approval of the deal were prevented from entering the House.

The main entrance of the House was shut with strict access checks being conducted for members of the public and workers seeking to enter.

The protesters however chanted slogans and songs outside the House.

The leader of the protesters, a suspended CPP executive member, Ernesto Yeboah, who was dissatisfied with Parliament’s decision, said they posed no threat to the security of the House.

“Are we holding guns? So on what basis are we disallowed from entering Parliament to have a sight of the proceedings in Parliament? They have absolutely no basis to restrain us from entering to have a sight of the proceedings. We are going to enter, we are going to sit down, we are going to observe the rules of Parliament.

The Minister of Defense, Dominic Nitiwul, on Tuesday laid before Parliament the document seeking to ratify an agreement for space around the Kotoka International Airport, which will serve as a camp for some US military forces in Ghana.

The agreement will among other things, exempt the US government from paying taxes on equipment that is brought to Ghana.

They will also be given the chance to set their own telecommunication system, although they will be allowed to use Ghana’s radio spectrum free of charge.

Although many Ghanaians have expressed resentment over the clauses of the agreement, government had defended it and said the agreement is in the best interest of Ghana.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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