Mahama granted GITMO 2 refugee status – Government

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has disclosed that the two ex-GITMO detainees were granted refugee status by the Mahama administration.

She indicated that returning them to the United States is not an option open to discussion or negotiation.

She said there was no exit plan in the agreement between the US and the Mahama administration.

The Minority has accused the Akufo-Addo’s government of going against the Supreme Court order, which described their stay as unconstitutional because they arrived in Ghana without Parliamentary approval.

But speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, the Minister stated that the two ex-detainees (Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby) have now become the responsibility of the State.

‘It is to be noted that no exit arrangements were originally discussed between the two governments to end the bilateral arrangement at the time of negotiation. The US has also been clear in our discussions with them that per the agreement, returning them to the United States is not an option open to discussion or negotiation.

‘This means that all obligations relating to the two subjects [have] now become the responsibility of Ghana,” she explained.

The arrival of the two in the country caused fear and panic as some Ghanaians questioned the measures put in place to tighten the country’s security from terrorists attacks.