Some Ghanaians are not happy that the Parliament has ratified the controversial defence cooperation deal between the Republic of Ghana and the United States of America, USA.
They had thought that the agreement, which would give the world super power’s military unfettered access to some facilities in Ghana, should be thrown open for public debate. You may not blame them. Such a deal between Britain and Nigeria, which was signed in 1962, failed to win public support. It was jettisoned after Nigerian students protested vehemently against it.
The current case in Ghana is a bit different. The top echelon of the opposition National Democratic Congress and other opposition parties have given their support to the agreement. But during the debate on the deal in parliament, the Minority wanted the recommendations of the joint committee to note their grievances.
The protesters say the deal amounts to ceding Ghana’s sovereignty to the USA so that it would look like re-colonization. They urged the government to suspend the agreement and seek the advice of all retired Chiefs of Defence Staff as the deal in its current form would expose Ghana to terror attacks.
But President Akufo-Addo is adamant. He insists that the deal is both popular and beneficial to the country. Ghana’s Student associations have already sided with the Joint Committee report, which said in part, that granting “unfettered access” to American military aircraft, vessels and tanks “may appear to undermine the sovereignty and security of Ghana.”
They have also expressed concern about the lack of explicit termination point in the agreement. It remains to be seen what their next step will be.
