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Ghanaians may have been under the impression Members of Parliament spent over three hours grilling the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hannah Tetteh, following Ghana’s decision to host two terror suspects of Yemeni origin, but Manhyia South MP, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has revealed, she had a field day.
Parliament summoned Hannah Tetteh over the issue after the Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh kicked a storm in parliament two weeks ago over the supposed government “infamous” decision.
However, the Manhyia South MP stormed out of the closed door hearing early because he felt the Foreign Affairs Minster was not addressing the pertinent issues in the Guantanamo deal.
Dr Prempeh addressed the media after he stepped out, and expressed his displeasure with the lack of transparency and cooperation exhibited by the Minister.
According to him,“Hannah Tetteh never spoke about the Rwandans and never spoke about the Syrians who are also in town, neither did she speak about the Yemenis who happen to be here on fake passports or visas…” he fumed.
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh
“Hannah Tetteh says there is an agreement, an agreement Hannah wants to keep in her bosom. She wants to keep in her bosom. I don’t know why and Parliament has not been given a copy of that agreement.”
No reason for accepting the Guantanamo detainees
Dr Opoku Prempeh went as far as saying he was “scandalized” by what transpired during the closed door meeting because Hannah Tetteh declined to disclose why government decided to accept the two Guantanamo detainees.
“I am scandalized by what I didn’t hear than what I heard… No reason has been given for accepting these Guantanamo detainees yet,” he stated.
He recounted that the minister had spoken at length about the countries that had also accepted detainees from Guantanamo bay prison but he was keen to stress that those countries were accepting back their own nationals unlike Ghana’s situation.
“What she refused to say which I am scandalized by is, all those countries were admitting their citizens back home… these are Yemenis who have no relation in Ghana who even their own country has refused to accept them.”
Why the closed door meeting?
Dr Opoku Prempeh wandered why the meeting was in camera in the first place because according to him, because according to him, there was nothing sensitive or critical Hanna Tetteh said that could not have been delivered on the floor of the House.
He felt the meeting was a waste of time and symptomatic of government’s total disregard for the citizens.
“I don’t even know why they did this as a closed meeting when the foreign minister has been happily briefing foreign media. It shows the absolute disregard they have for us.”
What is Hannah Tetteh hiding?
America has had healthy debates about Ghana’s acceptance of the two detainees from Guantanamo according to the Manhyia South MP who bemoaned the lack of transparency from government as far as this issue is concerned.
“What are we hiding and what are we afraid of when American senators can openly debate this, American congress men can openly debate this… but we are still not able to get straight answers from our Minster of Foreign of Affairs
Dr Prempeh reiterated his long held suspicions with the Guantanamo deal saying, “I’ve always stated that what they are hiding is more than what they are telling if they cannot discuss even with the people’s representatives.”
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By Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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