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General News on Thursday, January 24, 2019
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
2019-01-24
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Foreign Affairs Critic for the Minority
Foreign Ministry spokesman Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has called on the government to inform Ghanaians of the situation of former Guantanamo detainees Mahmoud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih al-Dhuby were brought to the country. Ghana in 2016, for a period of two years.
In an open letter to the Minister of National Security on 24 January 2019, the member of parliament in Tongu (north) threatened to use legal means to force the government to comply with the 1996 law on intelligence and security agencies (Act526).
He explained that "with respect to a matter of this nature that arouses national interest, it is prudent that the government" provide an update to the Ghanaian people as required by the principles of good governance in the area of transparency and accountability.
In January 2016, under the authority of the NDC government, in Ghana, a controversial agreement was signed with the United States of America to house two former detainees from Guantanamo Bay, which has ended on January 6, 2018.
This decision has been criticized by many observers, including the then-opposed New Patriotic Party, who described them as a security threat despite badurances from the US government.
The Supreme Court then declared that the constitutionality of the agreement was null and void under the NPP government and ordered the government to send the agreement back to parliament for ratification within three months or later. send the two detainees back to the United States.
You will find below the complete copy of the letter.
Open Letter to the Honorable Minister Responsible for National Security
L & # 39; Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah,
Minister of National Security,
Republic of Ghana.
January 24, 2019.
Dear Mr. Kan-Dapaah,
REQUEST FOR UPDATE ON THE TWO EXTRA DETAILS OF GUANTANAMO BAY AND ON THE CONTINUED BREACH OF THE SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION ACT, 1996 (ACT 526)
Please consider my warm compliments duly paid.
Today, January 24, 2019, it is exactly one year since you have joined your colleagues: the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, the Interior and Defense, have ostensibly informed Parliament of the position of the Government of Ghana regarding the status of the two Mahmoud Umar Muhammed Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salid Al-Dhuby, former detainees of Guantanamo Bay, following the expiration on 6 January 2018, bilateral cooperation agreement between the Government of Ghana led by former President John Mahama and the United States Government of America led by former President Barack Obama.
Mr. Minister, as you will probably remember, your fellow ministers and your own arguments were presented to Parliament that day, stating that the government's decision on the issue is not conclusive. The official record of the parliamentary debates of Wednesday, January 24, 2018 summarizes your remarks in this regard in column 85 as follows: "Mr. President, I would like to urge the honorable members of the august House to take into account the fact that it is This is a very important issue, a delicate issue, can we withdraw the policy and unite to find an effective solution to this issue? "
In the same vein, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has stated in the House, as indicated in column 59 – "Mr. Speaker, that the government is forced to explore any other option for the time being and will await a thorough examination of the matter by the competent bodies. "
Subsequently, a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Charles Owiredu, and the then Minister of Information, Dr. Mustapha Hamid, both officially declared that they had informed the media, respectively the January 25 and 29, 2018, that the Akufo-Addo administration is in talks with other countries with a view to relocating ex-inmates from Ghana.
Respectfully, I believe that after a year of patient waiting for the government, it is imperative that, in this matter of considerable national interest, you provide an update to the people of Ghana, because the principles of good governance in the area of transparency and accountability will require:.
My humble expectation is that you now provide the requested update with shipping.
Mr. Minister, I must also bring to your attention your continued violation of subsection 17 (2) of the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 1996 (Bill 526) which states: "The Minister responsible for liability under the paragraph (1) of this Article shall: submit annually to Parliament a report on intelligence agencies. "
Mr. Speaker, you have not complied with this provision since you took on the position of Minister of National Security, which undermined Parliament's constitutional control mandate.
As you know, I have always caught your eye and informed Parliament through several statements of this violation of the law. As a result, in the past period, I have tabled questions in Parliament urging you to provide answers to the House on your flagrant violation of Bill 526, particularly under the auspices of Parliament. a president who constantly boasts of his powers under the law.
Having had all my parliamentary efforts to enforce the Act of 1996 on intelligence and security agencies (Act526), with contemptuous disregard, I hereby signify that if the situation remains the same 20 days after January 29, 2019, the resumption of Parliament, I will turn to our highly esteemed courts to compel you to fulfill your obligations under Law 526.
I arrived at this decision because I have practically exhausted all parliamentary processes. Moreover, the worsening of the insecurity situation that is causing unprecedented national and international concern following the badbadination of the underground journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale, many cases of alleged murders under contract , the circumstances in which Nana Appiah Mensah escaped from jurisdiction and the abduction of the Takoradi ladies – all call for an urgent and flawless commitment to our constitutional and legal obligations which , as you know better than many of us, are designed to guarantee our collective security.
Regards,
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
Member of Parliament, Tongu North
Member of the Standing Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament.
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