Mahama’s GITMO decision is illegal -Nana Addo

The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, has described as illegal decision by President Mahama to accept two ex- detainees of Guantanamo Bay who have ties with terrorism to stay in Ghana.

According to Nana Akufo- Addo, section 35 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2008, Act 762, prohibits the transaction in which the president entered into with the government of the US.He accused president Mahama of engaging in what he termed as “Lawlessness at the highest level of the state” arguing that such lawlessness behaviour cannot produce good governance.

Nana Akufo –Addo made these remarks in a tribute in honour of the late Alhaji Alhassan Bin Salih in Wa, Tuesday.The presence of Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby, who were jailed for 14 years by the US for terrorism, has caused a lot of uproar in the country.

Sections of Ghanaians believe the decision is a risky gamble of Ghana's national security given the increase in acts of terrorism in West Africa.But the president and his spokespersons have defended the decision. President John Mahama at a press conference said he would not take any decision that will put the Ghanaians in danger.

He said the decision was taken in consultation with relevant stakeholders and national security.However the NPP flagbearer, who had been quiet on the issue, broke his silence Tuesday accusing the president of flouting his own laws with impunity just so he would satisfy the Americans.“It is a sad example of his belief that he is answerable to no one, not even to the laws of the Republic, like s.35 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (Act 760), which, as President, he is sworn to uphold.”

"Since he claims that only Presidents Rawlings and Kufuor have the right to criticize him, I would have wished that he had found it worthy to consult both of our two former national leaders before he took this grave decision that has consequences for us all."If he had done so, Ghanaian people may well have been spared the disquieting anxiety, in this time of justifiably heightened fear of global terrorism, that we are being led by a President who, ostensibly in the name of compassion, prefers to ignore laws designed to defend the most sensitive area of all, our nation’s security.”

Nana Akufo-Addo appealed to Ghanaians to desist from making religious comments on the matter.

Story by Michael Creg Afful

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