The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has reiterated its position that its flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, was not consulted about\u00a0government’s decision to accept the transfer of the two ex Guantanamo detainees in the country.<\/p>\n
This comes after reports quoting the US Ambassador to Ghana as saying that Nana Addo expressed \u2018definite reservations\u2019 about the decision of the US to transfer the ex-detainees.<\/p>\n
According to the ambassador, the US undertook 18 months of consultation with the government of Ghana, and other stakeholders, which includes\u00a0Nana Akufo Addo before transferring the two.<\/p>\n
The NPP has however debunked this assertion in a statement signed by its Press Secretary, Eugene Arhin, saying that at no point was Nana Addo consulted.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the avoidance of doubt, we would like to reiterate our earlier stated position that at no point during the transaction between the two governments was Nana Akufo-Addo consulted, and the facts of the matter speak clearly for themselves,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
The NPP explained in the statement that, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in Ghana, Melinda Tabler-Stone, \u201ccalled on Nana Akufo-Addo at his Nima residence to inform him, with the consent of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, about the impending arrival into the country of the two ex-Guantanamo Bay detainees\u2026as a result of discussions between the US and Ghana governments.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would appear that at the time Melinda Tabler-Stone spoke to Nana Akufo-Addo, the two Gitmo detainees were either on their way to Ghana or had arrived in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n
The NPP therefore states that neither the Ghanaian government nor the US government, consulted Nana Addo.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would be an unusual use of English, in these circumstances, to suggest that Nana Akufo-Addo was consulted. At best, what can be said is that, he was informed of the transaction as it was being implemented, in other words, he was presented with a fait accompli, not a consultation.\u201d<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
By: Jeffrey Owuraku Sarpong\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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