General News of Friday, 23 March 2018
Source: Myjoyonline.com
2018-03-23
Anita Desoso and Johnson Asiedu Nketiah in red armbands
The leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has gone to Parliament Friday to solidarise with the Minority to thwart the ratification of the controversial Ghana-US military deal.
NDC Chairman, Kofi Portuphy; General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia and Deputy General Secretary Koku Anyidoho reportedly met with the leadership of the Minority before being ushered into the Public Gallery.
Parliament is considering the ratification of the military deal, which will allow US troops unimpeded access to key strategic facilities in Ghana.
The US administration, in turn, is expected to inject $20million into the country’s economy as well as helping the security agencies with state-of-the-art-equipment.
But the largest opposition party has warned the agreement will be injurious to the future of Ghana if the government gets it ratified.
Justifying the NDC’s position on the deal to Joy News’ Joseph Opoku-Gakpo, Mr Anyidoho said his party will oppose any attempt to walk Ghanaians back to servitude.
“We are here in solidarity with our minority members. We will not sit idly by to allow president Akufo-Addo to turn Ghana into a slave nation to the US,” the NDC Deputy General Secretary said.
He warned the NDC will rally Ghanaians to stage a demonstration if the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) capitalises on its majority in Parliament to railroad the agreement.
Meanwhile, the majority lawmakers on both the Interior as well as the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committees have recommended the ratification of the agreement, despite the opposition by the minority members.
With the NPP commanding a super majority in the House, the military deal is expected to be ratified before Parliament rises.