The ramifications of possible security threat with the presence of ex-Gitmo detainees in Ghana cannot be ruled out, an independent presidential candidate in the 2012 election, Mr Jacob Osei Yeboah, has said.
He, however, cautioned that the issue should not be reduced to Muslim-Christian matter.
Additionally, he also kicked against the move to ask the President to repatriate the ex-Gitmo detainees back to Guantanamo.
That, he said, was because the repercussion could pose great security threat to Ghanaians. Mr Yeboah said Ghanaians must not reduce the issue to religious compassionate gestures and prayers either for someone to take responsibility of our destiny.
Rather, he said, the inertia of our religious sects coupled with partisan politics undermining all of our cherished principles and value systems must give way to patriotism for self-organisation to empathise with one another concerning their challenges in order to overcome any fears regarding the presence of the ex-detainees in the country.
“As a Christian born at the Zongo, I believe our Muslims brothers are more challenged in terms of the tactful handling of the ex-Gitmo detainee issue. This is due to sectarian conflicts among Muslims in the Middle East. They need our support and understanding in the face of the fact that Muslims were not consulted either,” he said.
In his view, the apprehension of our Christian brothers is no different from the handling of the first century terrorist, Apostle Paul, by the then Christian community as narrated in the Holy Bible (Acts 9).
“I will urge our Christian brethren to muster the courage of Ananias and share ideas with our Muslims brothers and the government as to how best to nurture change in our ex-Gitmo detainees in Ghana,” he said.
“Ghana is blessed with religious tolerance that has eluded most countries in the world. Leaving our two visitors without engaging them productively to help them to lead productive lives and also be beneficial to humanity will be a great failure on our side as a country. Our values of conscientious hospitality must be extended to give hope and meaning to life.”
He, therefore, called on the faith community and the government to interact and draw extensive programme based on their respective interests for the two years the ex-detainees would live in Ghana.
“Though we see suspected terrorists out of the two ex-Gitmo detainees today, we must see in them special envoys of peace to countries for the benefit of the world,” he stated.
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