ruling that ordered<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0the agreement to host the detainees from Guantanamo Bay on the behest of the US to Parliament for ratification, the government said the 1998 and 2015 agreements are essentially unlawful.<\/p>\nExplaining\u00a0why the Minority would not honour a recall of Parliament, he argued that the government was being dishonest because when it presented the agreement to Parliament, it said it had no choice but to go into the 2018 deal because its hands were tied by the 1998 and 2015 deals signed under NDC governments.<\/p>\n
This was in the heat of the public outcry against the deal which some fear will see a military base established in the country and compromise Ghana’s security and sovereignty.<\/p>\n
Mr. Ablakwa also noted that the 2018 agreement was clear that the 2015 deal the government is seeking to ratify has expired.<\/p>\n
“These are the government\u2019s own communications to Parliament. So is the Minister of Information telling us that when they were putting together this memorandum, they didn\u2019t know what they were talking about or are they telling us that they lied to Parliament?\u201d<\/p>\n
Waste of money<\/strong><\/p>\nMr. Ablakwa also pointed out that in Article 19(3) of the 2018 agreement presented to Parliament, it noted that it shall supersede the previous agreements.<\/p>\n
Thus, recalling Parliament just to ratify the 1998 and 2015 agreements would be a waste of taxpayers\u2019 money, the MP said.<\/p>\n
“Your own agreement that you agreed with the United States\u2026 says that this agreement supersedes all other agreements so why are we coming to waste the taxpayer’s money? Why are you seeking to reconvene Parliament for us to come and engage in a needless exercise,” he questioned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will be extremely surprised that the Right Honorable Speaker, a man I respect so much\u2026 lends himself to this pedestrian propaganda, if he reconvenes the House when you have ratified an agreement which [supersedes] all previous agreements.\u201d<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
By: Delali Adogla-Bessa\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The NDC MP for North Tongu,\u00a0Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said the possible recall of Parliament to ratify\u00a0the 1998 and the 2015 defence cooperation agreements the country signed with the US is the manifestation\u00a0of a confused government and a waste of taxpayers’ money. Speaking on\u00a0Eyewitness News, Mr. Abakwa said either the Government is confused or “only […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":376217,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[58,11],"tags":[1949,3,533],"yoast_head":"\n
We'll snub recall to ratify old US army agreements - Ablakwa - Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n