MP challenges Akufo-Addo’s Gambia troop deployment

The decision to send Ghanaian soldiers to intervene in Gambia’s political situation should have been decided by parliament and not President Nana Akufo-Addo, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Adaklu has said.

“We are a sovereign country… To commit Ghanaian troops to an offensive war situation in another country, parliament must be informed and must give that approval. It should never be the preserve of a chief executive or president of this country,” Kwame Governs Agbodza noted.

Ghana deployed troops to support ECOWAS in The Gambia as the regional body makes attempts to yank out President Yahya Jammeh.

The 205 combat troops, backed with logistical equipment, have a mission to support the ECOWAS troops to create an enabling environment for the effective enforcement of the rule of law and in accordance with the constitution of The Gambia facilitate the inauguration of President-elect Adama Barrow today Thursday January 19, 2017.

This follows President Yahya Jammeh’s refusal to step down after he lost the 1 December election citing electoral irregularities as his reason for holding onto to power.

Despite the situation in the tiny West African country, Mr Agbodza maintains that Ghana’s legislators should have deliberated on the matter before committing soldiers to that cause.

He further explained: “If there was an aggression against Ghana, obviously the president [could] take the lead as the commander-in-chief and make a decision, but this is not a humanitarian crisis in Gambia.”

Mr Agbodza told Joy FM on Thursday, January 19: “It is a pre-planned aggression against another country and I think that parliament must give approval.”