{"id":181967,"date":"2016-01-15T11:28:08","date_gmt":"2016-01-15T11:28:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=181967"},"modified":"2016-01-15T11:28:08","modified_gmt":"2016-01-15T11:28:08","slug":"hosting-ex-gitmo-detainees-without-approval-unconstitutional-mp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/01\/hosting-ex-gitmo-detainees-without-approval-unconstitutional-mp\/","title":{"rendered":"Hosting ex-Gitmo detainees without approval unconstitutional \u2013 MP"},"content":{"rendered":"

Member of Parliament for Obuasi West, Kwaku Kwarteng, has accused the Mahama administration of breaching the constitution by hosting the two former Guantanamo detainees without prior approval from Parliament.<\/p>\n

Citing Article 75 of the constitution, he explained that government should have consulted Parliament before taking any decision since the decision constitutes\u00a0an international agreement.<\/p>\n

[contextly_sidebar id=”Db4cBfI7IAEZc4eQEYHOnIFzfKtG2Ykw”]Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, \u00a0Mr. Kwarteng asked government to publish the agreement and seek parliamentary approval.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026If you go to Article 75 (2) of our constitution, specifically 75 (2) it says a treaty, agreement, or convention executed by or under the authority of the President shall be subjected to an act of Parliament or a resolution of Parliament supported by the votes of more than one half the votes of more than one half of all the Members of Parliament.<\/p>\n

\u201cI take the view that this ought to have come before Parliament as a matter of constitutional requirement\u00a0 \u2026 the decision not to lay it before Parliament is an unconstitutional view to take,\u201d the MP posited.<\/p>\n

Various religious groups and individuals have called on government to return the two to the US where\u00a0they were repatriated from.<\/p>\n

But the United States Embassy in Ghana has assured citizens<\/a><\/strong> <\/span>that the presence of the two \u00a0poses no threat to the security of the country.<\/p>\n

In another development, the Public Affairs Counselor at the US Embassy in\u00a0Ghana has revealed that the government of Ghana is footing part of the bills<\/a><\/strong><\/span> for the upkeep of the former Guantanamo Bay detainees being hosted in the country.<\/p>\n

He later backtracked on the assertion saying Ghana will only take care of the monitoring and infrastructure that will host the two men whiles US deals with the financial obligation.<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

By: Marian Ansah\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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