Our sovereignty is not for sale – Ablakwa to US Ambassador

Enoch Darfah Frimpong Mar - 22 - 2018 , 18:41 2 minutes read

The United States Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Robert P. Jackson should not be telling us [Ghana] that $20million in return for the Ghana-US military cooperation was a good return, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu and Minority Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said.

According to him, comments by Mr Jackson that Ghana should be grateful for the monetary offer was “very regrettable."

Based on an earlier memoranda signed in February 1998 and April 2015, the US government has requested for a new defence cooperation with Ghana.

The previous agreements were not known to Ghanaians because they were not taken to Parliament for ratification, even though US military has been in the country under those agreements.

Some variations in the new agreement as compared to the old ones have generated a public debate after it leaked.

The government and the Minority in Parliament have continued to slug it out this week with government justifying the proposed agreement whilst the Minority has called for its immediate withdrawal from Parliament arguing that, it would denigrate the sovereignty and autonomy of the government and the people of Ghana, as well as the laws of the country.

However in a radio interview on Thursday, the US Ambassador to Ghana suggested that an investment of $20million in the Ghana Armed Forces in one year as part of the Ghana-US defence cooperation was a ‘pretty significant return’ that Ghana ought to be grateful.

But responding, Mr Ablakwa said, “I was disappointed hearing the Ambassador say that. I am unhappy and really depressed hearing that…the Ambassador should not be telling us that $20million is a good return, no!”

“You see, our bilateral relations should go beyond monetary terms, and when the discussion is about sovereignty, its about our image, its about Ghana’s peace and security, we should not be talking monetary terms,” Mr Ablakwa said in a radio interview with Accra based Joy FM.

The MP questioned: “How much will any country in this world, any country that has patriotic citizens, where they value their nation and respect themselves, will be putting up sovereignty for sale. So it shouldn’t be reduced to a discussion on monetary value.”

Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh

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