Rawlings: Nana Addo’s address was hard but…

Former President Jerry Rawlings has called for “a second look” at the controversial military cooperation agreement with the United States of America if there are details warranting that.

In a tweet late Friday night, Rawlings said such details “should be examined to create comfort for all sides”.

In the brief tweet reacting to President Akufo-Addo’s Thursday national address on the military cooperation deal that has divided public opinion on its relevance for Ghana, Rawlings said “Though the President’s address was hard, it was important and timely to hear him” affirm that there would be no military base established in Ghana.

Rawlings similarly took consolation in US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert Porter Jackson’s assurances that there is no request from the US end for the establishment of a military base.

The question of a US military base in Ghana last week sent thousands of Ghanaians onto the streets in Accra who marched in protest, insisting that an agreement for the US military to set up a base in Ghana exposed the country to collateral damage from terror attacks targeted at US installations.

Rawlings in his tweet said the establishment of a base was equally his concern when he tweeted early on saying even though Ghanaians have and continue to host people of all nations, accommodating large foreign soldiers in their daily lives was not a welcome move.

Read also: Rawlings: Ghanaians love Americans, yes. Their soldiers here? No!

Akufo-Addo's address on Ghana-US defence pact (FULL SPEECH)

“That was my major concern in my initial reaction to news of the agreement. The spirit of cooperation, be it military or diplomatic has always been there. If there are details of the agreement that warrant a second look, such details should be examined to create comfort for all sides,” he said in his latest tweet on the matter.