The Minority in Parliament has asked the Government to bring the agreement allowing the two former Guantanamo Bay detainees to stay in the country before Parliament for ratification.
The Minority said the agreement approved by Parliament, which permitted the two former detainees to stay in Ghana, expired on January 6, 2018.
Mr Okudzeto-Ablakwa, the Ranking Member of Foreign Affairs, raised the matter on the floor of the House when Parliament resumed sitting from its long recess.
The Supreme Court declared as unconstitutional an agreement between the then President John Mahama-led Government and the United States, which saw two Guantanamo Bay detainees brought into Ghana.
The court, therefore, ordered that the Government sent the agreement to Parliament for ratification or have the two detainees sent back to the United States.
The two detainees, Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby, who were in detention for 14 years after being linked with terrorist group Al-Qaeda, were brought to Ghana in 2016, to stay for a period, after which they were expected to be reintegrated in their home country.
Mr Okudzeto-Ablakwa said when President Nana Akufo-Addo met the media at the Flagstaff House, he indicated that when Parliament reconvened there would be a decision for another ratification of the agreement.
He said because government had not ratified the agreement when it expired on January 6, 2018, they were in breach of Article 75(2) of the Constitution and disregarding the decision of the Supreme Court.
“From the midnight of January 6, 2018, we are in breach of the Constitution and every additional day we are breaking the Constitution and if anybody takes the matter to the Supreme Court the Executive would be embarrassed,” he said.
Mr Okudzeto-Ablakwa stated that it was for the Executive to bring the agreement to Parliament on whatever they had decided on and communicate same to the people of Ghana.
He said since he raised the matter on the floor of Parliament indications were that there would be communications from the Executive on the issue to the House.
He said the decision on the two former Guantanamo Bay detainees, for now, clearly lay in bosom of the Executive.
Source: GNA
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LOOK AT OKUDJATO'S HEAD LIKE A MONKEY.WHO MADE THIS GENTLEMAN MINORITY SPOKES PERSON ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS.HE IS A DISGRACE TO THE MINORITY.GO TO YOUR BOSS MAHAMA FOR THE AGREEMENT.GYIMIIII.
is the minority now asking for the agreement? seriously? aren't they the ones who brought them in? or they were sleeping by then so they didnt go through the agreement
Dysfunctional Minds parading as Lawmakers.... How this be described as a lawmaker. No wonder
You've granted somebody a refugee status covered and guaranteed by international convention. Which treaty does not allow the country of surjourn to expel UNLESS they VIOLATE the laws of that country. The question is having granted them that status secretly from Ghanaians and they haven't fallen FOUL of the LAWS of Ghana, how then do we expel them without attracting sanction when taken to court by their counsels. Thi Okudzeto Ablakwa is only trying to be heard always and nothing of intelligence coming from his mouth and head but enunciating MISCHIEF and hypocrisy
u guys brought them and put everyone in a big problem bcos of ur greed. now u want to know the agreement the current govt had. what actually do u want to know? how much money the govt is given? or the fact that u guys grant them a refugee status? u guys did not bring this issue up be4 accepting them to Ghana but went behind our backs and do ur deals. now look at the position u have put the current govt as if they caused it.
I just read online that they have married in Ghana and that Gov't has granted them a refugee status. Hmmm, let us follow this development with keen interest.