The Editor in Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper Malik Kweku Baako Jnr has intercepted a letter, part of which suggests ex-president John Mahama gave approval for Ghana to be used as base for a US military operation that will protect “US citizens and facilities in the sub-region.”
The letter dated February 12, 2015 and signed by Hannah Nyarko for the Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister made copious references to the agreement reached between the ex-president and the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Miss Bisa Williams at the Flagstaff House on 4 September 2014.
Based on that agreement, the US government wrote a diplomatic note dated February 5, 2015, a copy of which was attached to the February 12 letter, in which the US government sought approval from their Ghanaian counterparts to use “Ghana’s territory and airspace” for the operation.
“The operations involved the deployment of 200 US marine forces, Africa personnel, 4 MV 22 Osprey and 2 C130 Hercules aircraft. The deployment was scheduled to begin on 10 February 2015 and last for approximately 5 weeks if approved,”
Apart from that, the diplomatic note by the US also requested for “clearance for US aircraft to conduct overflights within Ghana’s airspace for the duration of the mission. Permission for the six US aircraft to operate from and be staged on the airforce rump and for the deploying forces to leave and operate out of the US expeditionary reception facility located at the Air force base at the Burma Camp.”
Malik Kweku Baako made these revelations on Newsfile Saturday. He was contributing to the controversial 2018 Ghana-US military agreement which has left Parliament thoroughly divided and the country completely polarized.
The agreement which was ratified by a one-sided Parliament, after the minority walked out had a purpose to “Reaffirming the strong defense relationship between the Parties based on a shared commitment to peace and stability and common approaches to addressing regional defense and security issues.”
It was also to “Reaffirming the recent dialogue between the Presidents of the United States and Ghana on the importance of the bilateral defense relationship; and also “considering that, by arrangement between the United States and Ghana, United States forces may be present in Ghana in pursuit of common defense efforts, as well as to provide support to the security of United States Government personnel and facilities in the region.”
Certain clauses in the agreement have sent a lot of tongues wagging.
For instance Article 5 states that “Ghana hereby provides unimpeded access to and use of agreed facilities and areas to United State forces, United States contractors, and others as mutually agreed.
Still under Article 5, the agreement notes “United States forces are hereby authorized to control entry to agreed facilities and areas that having been provided for exclusive use by United States forces, and to coordinate entry with the authorities of Ghana at agreed facilities and areas provided for joint use by United States force and Ghana, for purposes of safety and security.”
Even though it was not stated in the agreement, it has been reported and confirmed by the US Ambassador to Ghana Robert Jackson that Ghana was given an amount of $20 million as part of the agreement.
Many, including the ex-president John Mahama have since kicked against the agreement. A demonstration has been organized for thousands to vent their anger about the deal the minority insists will sell the security and sovereignty of the country.
“I join in declaring #GhanaFirst as my compatriots and other democratic forces converge to demonstrate their opposition to demonstrate their opposition to the Ghana/US military agreement,” the ex-president said in a tweet.
Some NDC minority members have also been vocal in their rejection of the agreement. On Newsfile, MP for Tamale Central Inusah Fuseini said the agreement was a sellout.
According to him Ghana will effectively become a satellite state to the US if the agreement comes into force.
Some ordinary Ghanaians have also kicked against the deal even though some have also thrown their weight behind it.
Speaking on Newsfile, Malik Baako said he has no problem if ordinary Ghanaians some of whom may not have the benefit of the full information kick against the agreement.
But he is scandalized by the position taken by the Minority especially when it signed similar agreements with the US in government.
Apart from the 5 week US military operation, the then Foreign Minister Hannah Tetteh also signed a separate agreement with the US government in April 2015 which formed the basis of the enhanced military cooperation agreement in 2018.
Citing portions of the 2015 agreement, the newspaper editor suggested the former government officials are only being hypocritical.
He argued the same facilities the US marines used while in Ghana in 2015 are the same facilities they will use in 2018.
“Ammunition base operation support and construction incident to base operation support. What does that mean? It is not a military base but there are bases in Ghana that they use. Storage services, facilities. We gave them facilities in 2015. Were they US ghosts in those facilities in 2015? he asked with a tinge of sarcasm.
Kweku Baako called for fairness in the discussion of an issue he said could have repercussion on Ghana’s international relations.
Source: Daily Guide
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I guess you think so deep, what a twerp. Just because nana sent this bogus deal to parliament makes it acceptable. What a deep thinker you are. Yes, mahama was wrong for not sending his agreement to parliament, yet he never accepted the stoupid clause that USA military would not pay tax, can't be prosecuted when they went wrong as well as what they bring would not be inspected. Nana addo is the President now, so it's nun sense to blame his cheap decisions on John mahama.
It's always good to be truthful and put aside propaganda
This NDC people are very dangerous to this country and we need to be careful ,the way we use to follow them when they are at fault .
WHETHER MAHAMA SIGNS A DOCUMENT OR NOT. WE SIMPLY DON'T LIKE THE DEAL PERIOD.
Do people think? We have government who did this secretly that is mahama government and now we have another government which is nana addo government and he brought his to parliament to look in which government is evil? Common sense will tell you nana government care about Ghana than NDC we should stop all this childish and politics and speak truth once and for all we are tired of you ndc and all this illiterate you use to do your dirty evil work for you our eyes are open now. Thank you Kweku.
You absolutely have nothing to say. I pity you.
NDC and lies, NDC and hypocrisy. We ve known u since👎
Baako is a nation wrecker. I pity his children if he has one or someone did it for him.
Can you publish the document signed by president Mahama instead of spewing verbal lies to the public?
We so tired o f Mahama did this Mahama did that. Don't you have minds of your own, nana addo? If Mahama did it and it was bad, do you who claim to be wiser, magnify it? You have reviewed and cancelled so many contracts that Mahama signed, why are you finding it too difficult to reject this deal, especially when most reasonable Ghanaians have kicked against it. In fact, if you listen to USA news outlets like CNN etc even the white men are saying this is a bullying deal that do not bring any benefits to GHANA. Are these the wise men Rev Martey was talking about? This same nana addo goes about singing asempapa bi matse, oye oye. What a hypocrite and a wicked old man.