General News of Thursday, 5 April 2018
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
2018-04-05
President Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo says he is outraged by assertions made by the opposition National Democratic Congress and the Minority in Parliament that his government intends to sell the sovereignty of Ghana to the United States of America by signing the infamous US military deal.
The deal, which exempts the US from paying tax on equipment imported into the country and permits the setting up of a telecommunications system on Ghana’s radio spectrum for free also gives the US military unfettered access to some facilities close to the Kotoka International Airport, a situation that has got many talking.
Whilst the defence minister, Dominic Nitiwul has come out to defend the agreement whiles Information Minister Mustapha Hamid is accusing the minority of leaking the document to the public, the NDC, together with some Civil Society Organizations staged a demonstration to express their displeasure.
Members of the NDC, particularly its General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, have on several occasions accused the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, of selling the country’s sovereignty to the Americans, a claim that has been backed by the National Chairman of the PNC, Bernard Mornah, and the founder of the All People’s Party, Hassan Ayariga.
But addressing the nation on the issue, the obviously irritated President Akufo-Addo described the accusations against his government as absurd.
According to him, it was propaganda by self-seeking politicians to mislead the Ghanaian people and create controversies.
“Let me say how outraged I am by the defamatory comments from my political opponents, some of whose patriotism can be so easily questioned, that the sovereignty of this country has been sold by my government and myself. I will never be the President that will compromise or sell the sovereignty of our country. I respect deeply the memory of the great patriots whose sacrifice and toil brought about our independence and freedom.
I have stood with you, the Ghanaian people, all my adult life, fighting for our individual and collective rights. Everything I have done, since assuming the great honour and privilege of serving you as President of the Republic, demonstrates that I remain focused on building a self-reliant, free, prosperous Ghana, which will be able to make her own unique contribution to the growth and development of Africa and the world.”
The president further assured the people of his commitment to serve in the interest of the country while debunking the establishment of a military base in the country.
“Let me state with the clearest affirmation that Ghana has not offered a military base, and will not offer a military base to the United States of America. Indeed, the United States of America has not made any request for such consideration and, consistent with our established foreign policy, we will not consider any such request.
However, in consideration of the realities of our circumstances and the challenges to peace in our region in our time, we have deemed it prudent to continue the Co-operation Agreement with the United States of America.
It is our firm belief that the Agreement will help enhance our defence capability, and offer an important layer of support in our common effort to protect the peace in our region”.