Defence deal should have been withdrawn - Prof Gyampo

The Akufo-Addo government should have withdrawn the Ghana-U.S. defence cooperation deal, professor of political science, Ransford Gyampo, has said.

According to him, given the intransigent position the Minority took on the deal, the government could have withdrawn if for modification.

Such a move, he said, would have softened the stance taken by the Minority and other Ghanaians who are opposed to the deal.

The agreement, which has become a subject of controversy, was approved by Ghana’s parliament although the Minority staged a walkout.

Subsequently, a demonstration was organised by the Ghana First Patriotic Front (GFP) with the support of some political parties, including the NDC.

Explaining the deal to Ghanaians, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo affirmed, in no uncertain terms, that Ghana has “not offered a military base, and will not offer a military base to the United States of America” as has been claimed by persons opposing the deal.

According to him, “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.”

In an address to the nation on Thursday, 5th April 2018, the President stated that: “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.”

He was confident that the U.S.-Ghana Military Co-operation 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.”

But speaking on Ghana Yensom hosted by Chief Jerry Forson on Friday, 6 April, Prof Gyampo said among other things that: “I think the deal should have been withdrawn for further inputs, given the stance of the Minority in Parliament.”

“I am sure if it had been withdrawn for the consideration of the Minority’s view, we wouldn’t be seeing the partisan posture we are seeing now.”