Cabinet approved the MoU on March 8, 2018, and recommended that Parliament ratifies the agreement to allow US forces and their equipment unhindered access in Ghana.

[contextly_sidebar id=”tKK5MpNhoXPqSpxxPPU14vQPEjlaPAYq”]Per the agreement, the US military is, among other things, to be exempted from paying tax on the equipment to be brought into 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.

The move has been widely criticized by some Ghanaians who have argued that the decision to allow unrestricted access will not benefit Ghana.

The United States Embassy in Ghana in denying reports that the US government is planning to establish a military base in Ghana, said “This year, the United States of America is investing over $20 million in training and equipment for the Ghanaian armed forces. Ghana is also once again preparing to train U.S forces – as it did in 2017. The United States and Ghana are planning joint security exercises in 2018, which require access to Ghanaian bases by US participants and those from other nationals when included”.

But the Minority in a statement said, “We fail to see how this amount can qualify as the direct benefit that we are deriving as a nation from this agreement which is so disproportionally skewed in favour of the United States of America.”

“In any event, the quoted amount would be woefully inadequate to compensate for the huge sacrifices that Ghana is making under this agreement and the total surrender of our sovereignty. It further makes complete mockery of the much-vaunted “Ghana beyond Aid” slogan of President Akufo Addo,” it added.

The Minority also called for broader consultations with relevant stakeholders on the move.

“In light of the above, we demand an immediate withdrawal of the agreement from Parliament pending the holding of broad consultations and a thorough national discussion involving all relevant stakeholders.

“More importantly, the Akufo Addo government cannot disregard genuine concerns by Ghanaians that the siting of this base in Ghana and the presence of United States Armed Forces personnel, could make the nation a prime target for terrorists who have intensified their activities in the West African Sub-Region.In its current form, this agreement completely betrays the interest of Ghana.”

The statement from the Minority is below

MINORITY STATEMENT ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF UNITED STATES MILITARY BASE IN GHANA

The Minority caucus in Parliament has learned with alarm, a decision by President Akufo Addo to permit the establishment of a Military Base for the United States Armed Forces in Ghana and the subsequent invitation to Parliament to approve the agreement covering same.
After a careful reading of the details of the agreement and the cabinet approval dated 12th March, 2018, we wish to make the following initial comments:

1. We deplore the total secrecy that has shrouded the negotiations leading up to the drafting of this agreement. The Akufo Addo government’s concealment of the agreement from the people of Ghana betrays a certain disregard for the sensibility of our people and their fierce defence of our sovereignty.

2. The agreement has been drafted in a manner that does not state a termination point. In other words, it would exist in perpetuity. This therefore binds all successive governments and yet little or no input was sought from political stakeholders especially those with capacity to form government.

3. Article 10 of the agreement confers exceptionally generous terms on the American side including sweeping tax exemptions on imports and exports of various categories of goods and services. We find it unacceptable that at a time when the Akufo Addo government continues to lament significant shortfalls in revenue and in the face of astronomical duty payments by Ghanaian importers, personnel of the Armed Forces of the wealthiest nation on earth would be exempted from tax and levy payments and in such generous proportions.

4. The agreement has been presented in a manner that conceals vital information which should be available to ensure informed debate on the subject. Whilst Article 1(3) of the agreement mentions ‘Annex A” as the part where information relating to “Agreed facilities and arrears” to be used for the purpose of establishing where the base can be found, no information is provided in the agreement about the said “Annex A” or the “Agreed Areas”. This omission greatly hampers a thorough study and review of the document.

5. We find the non-availability of restraints on movements of United States Army personnel in Ghana as spelt out in Article 12 of the agreement, troubling, as it opens up the country in a manner that undermines both our sovereignty and security.

6. The waiver of the requirement for the use of valid drivers’ licenses issued by appropriate Ghanaian authorities in Article 13 of the agreement, smacks of wanton disregard for Ghanaian law and seeks to impose American law on the country. We are at a loss as to why US citizens in Ghana cannot comply with such a basic requirement?

7. We are deeply concerned that provision is made in Article 15 of the agreement for American Law once again to be imposed on Ghana in the settlement of claims arising out of the operations of the base including death, destruction of property or injury. This provision needlessly subjugates Ghana to the United States of America in an unacceptable way.

8. There is a manifest lack of clarity on the nature of the dedicated runway which Article 5(1) commits the Government of Ghana to provide. We wish be apprised of the exact runway in question.

9. Given our precarious economic circumstances, we find it unconscionable that Ghana would be made to assume responsibility including cost, for the provision of security for American Military personnel in Ghana as captured in Article 8 of the agreement.

10. More fundamentally, we find it difficult to appreciate how the Akufo Addo government could enter into an agreement from which the country derives virtually nothing. We take note of claims by Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, that an amount of US$ 20 million would be given to the Ghana Armed Forces as part of regular support.

We fail to see how this amount can qualify as the direct benefit that we are deriving as a nation from this agreement which is so disproportionally skewed in favour of the United States of America. In any event, the quoted amount would be woefully inadequate to compensate for the huge sacrifices that Ghana is making under this agreement and the total surrender of our sovereignty. It further makes complete mockery of the much-vaunted “Ghana beyond Aid” slogan of President Akufo Addo.

11. We condemn the offer of the use of a dedicated radio spectrum by the United States Forces free of charge, as captured in Article 14 of the agreement. This is happening at a time when Ghanaian companies have either had their licenses revoked or been slapped with astronomical fines for alleged non-payment of spectrum fees.
We wish to stress that the primary interest of any truly free State as Ghana, is the preservation of its sovereignty and the autonomy of its people. The proposed agreement denigrates both, as well as the authority of our government and laws.

In light of the above, we demand an immediate withdrawal of the agreement from Parliament pending the holding of broad consultations and a thorough national discussion involving all relevant stakeholders.

More importantly, the Akufo Addo government cannot disregard genuine concerns by Ghanaians that the siting of this base in Ghana and the presence of United States Armed Forces personnel, could make the nation a prime target for terrorists who have intensified their activities in the West African Sub-Region.
In its current form, this agreement completely betrays the interest of Ghana.

Signed

Haruna Iddrisu (MP)

Minority Leader

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP)

Ranking Member, Foreign Affairs Committee

Tuesday, 20th March, 2018

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Withdraw agreement to host US military in Ghana – Minority  appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The signing of the MOUs with the 36 institutions is to also secure their commitment to carry out their responsibilities and roles as assigned to them in the MOUs.

Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, said the second phase of the NPA, developed by the Ministry through the National Steering Committee on Child Labour for implementation from 2016 to 2020, was aimed at reducing the reducing the worst forms of child labour to the barest minimum, that is 10 per cent, by 2020.

He said the growing incidence of child labour in Ghana is a matter of major concern to the country’s international partners, especially the United States.

The US registered its disappointment at the handling of the matter during a recent trip to that country by the Minister of Employment.

He gave the assurance that Ghana is committed to the fight against all forms of child labour and is putting in measures to tackle the phenomenon, which is pervasive in various sectors, especially the cocoa sector.

He said the Ministries of Employment and Labour Relations, Interior, Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice are the lead agencies in the fight against child labour and would work in a coordinated manner to end child labour.

Mr Iddrisu stated that as part of the moves to address child labour and related issues, the Domestic Workers Regulations Bill has been signed and would be laid before Parliament when it reconvenes.

The Ministry has also mandated the Chief Labour Officer at the Ministry to deal with unlicensed recruitment agencies, who tend to recruit underage children, especially for domestic work.

He called on stakeholders to show real commitment beyond the NPA2, especially the lead agencies, to end the worst forms of child labour.

Mr James Agalga, Deputy Minister of the Interior, said the Ministry had tasked the Ghana Immigration Service and the Ghana Police Service to increase its investigations into incidence of child trafficking.

He noted that more sensitisation is needed to make people aware of the illegality of child trafficking and child labour, and to facilitate prosecution when arrests are made.

Some stakeholder agencies, including the International Migration Organisation, and the International Cocoa Initiative, underscored the need to address the child labour  as it affects the future of children in the country and pledged their commitment to support the fight.

Director of Research and Projects at the Ghana Employers Association said there is the need for a holistic approach to tackle child labour that would address both the push and pull factors of child labour.

He also called for increased social dialogue on the matter and also for more funding for the implementation of the NPA2 to ensure its success.

Following the signing of the MOUs, the NPA2 document is expected to be submitted to Cabinet for approval and then printed and launched.

The successful implementation of the NPA2 is also expected to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goal No. 8.7.

–

Source: GNA

The post Employment Ministry signs MOU to end child labour appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.