Mahama liable for impeachment – Minority

The Minority in Parliament has said President John Mahama can be cited for impeachment for failing to get parliamentary ratification for an agreement between the government of Ghana and the United States of America, in connection with the transfer of two ex-detainees of Guantanamo Bay to Ghana for a two-year stay.

At a press conference held Tuesday February 16, the Minority spokesperson in charge of foreign affairs, Mr Isaac Osei, said: “In diplomatic relations, you’d have verbal communication, but, at least, when the United States approached us, they did not come to us verbally, they must have issued a note verbale to our Mission there and that’s how the process started.

“So, there is a written agreement and we are demanding to see it,” the Minority said, adding that Article 75 (2) of the constitution makes it a necessary requirement for such agreements to be ratified by parliament.

The Minority said even though Article 75 (1) says: ‘The President may execute or cause to be executed treaties, agreements or conventions in the name of Ghana.’ 75 (2) makes it clear that: ‘A treaty, agreement or convention executed by or under the authority of the President shall be subject to ratification by – (a) Act of Parliament; or (b) a resolution of Parliament supported by the votes of more than one-half of all the Members of Parliament.’

Per this provision of the 1992 constitution, the Minority said President Mahama breached the constitution by not seeking parliament’s ratification of the transfer deal.

Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih al-Dhuby, both Yemeni, were transferred to Ghana on January 7, 2016. Their presence raised uproar among Ghanaians, with many Christian groups demanding their immediate return. Foreign Affairs Minister Hanna Tetteh is billed to appear before Parliament, in-camera, on Friday over the transfer. The Minority has questioned why that hearing will be held in-camera.