Members of the Inter Party Coalition for National Sovereignty have vowed to make life unbearable for US military personnel who will be deployed to Ghana to set up a base in the country.
According to members of the coalition, they are ready to form human chains around any facility which will be given to the US Military force to use as a base in Ghana to demonstrate their disapproval of the controversial military deal that has been signed by both countries.
The group made up of some political parties in the country, including the People’s National Convention (PNC), Progressive People’s Party (PPP), All People’s Congress (APC) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) say the threat, together with a planned demonstration slated for tomorrow is intended to serve as a wake-up call for the president to quash the controversial Ghana-US military agreement ratified by parliament on Friday, March 23.
A leaked memo detailing a MoU between the government of Ghana and the US military force has caused some tension in the country, with some Ghanaians claiming it was an infringement on the country’s sovereignty.
This, they attribute to the fact that US troops according to the MoU will among other things be exempted from paying taxes on equipment that are brought into the country, in addition to using Ghana’s radio spectrum for free.
The agreement also allows the US Military unhindered access to some facilities across the country, including a building to store their equipment.
Addressing a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, member of the coalition and National Chairman of the PNC, Bernard Mornah said although the coalition cherishes the longstanding relationship between Ghana and the US, the establishment of the military base was unacceptable.
According to him, Ghana has always been non-aligned, a principal that has kept the country neutral in its international dealings, hence the fear that the establishment of a US military base will drag the country into the vortex of power rivalry.
“Yesterday as if to hide their shame, the Information Minister Mustapha Hamid suggested that parliament will be recalled to rectify the defunct 1998 and 2015 protocols.
The statement was the height of all the illogicality that have characterized the thinking and approach of the ruling NPP in this matter. It is regrettable that President Nana Addo who carries himself as the best democrat, nationalist and human right activist could exercise such poor judgement in rushing through an agreement for establishment of a military base in our country.
Ghana does not need a military base, be it American, British, Russian, Chinese, as evidence of our commitment to the fight against terrorism. What parliament approved last Friday does not represent the interest of Ghana.
We will continue to oppose it in any form possible.”
Bernard Mornah further added that, should the demonstration by the group fail to persuade the President and the Defense Ministry to rescind its decision, they were ready to follow up with other alternatives available to them.
“As part of our continuing protest, the Inter Party Coalition for National Sovereignty will join the protest march scheduled for Wednesday March 28, in Accra. We are also ready to form a human chain around any area the NPP government decides to give away for the establishment of the foreign base.
We shall not relent until the agreement is consigned to the garbage heap of history.”
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the NDC, Kofi Portuphy has appealed to Ghanaians to join the demonstration to express their displeasure.
“This agreement is not in our best interest. We even have some NPP Members of Parliament supporting us on this. We know Ghanaians are not in agreement and Ghanaians are worried, so we need everyone to join us.
Even the media needs to come on board. We don’t want this and we have to make the statement clear.”
