'Total ignorance' - Kwesi Pratt fires back at US base debate

Veteran journalist and Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has criticised persons making the “Where is the US military base?” argument.

He termed the claim as rooted in ignorance and a misunderstanding of modern military strategies.

Speaking on Good Morning Ghana on April 22, 2026, Pratt said he was deeply frustrated by what he called a misleading narrative used by some public officials to downplay concerns about the 2018 defence cooperation agreement between Ghana and the United States.

“This is a campaign that I’ve been involved in since 2018, and I fully support it… but sometimes, I hear some things by public officials, and it makes me sick,” he said.

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His comments follow a petition led by the Socialist Forum calling for the repeal of the US-Ghana Military agreement, which critics argue grants extensive privileges to US forces operating in Ghana.

Kwesi Pratt took particular issue with the recurring challenge from officials who ask critics to point to a physical US military base in Ghana.

“When you talk about this agreement, they ask you, ‘where is the base?’. ..total ignorance,” he said.

According to him, the argument fails to recognise the evolving nature of US military operations globally.

He explained that traditional large-scale bases have increasingly been replaced by more flexible arrangements, including so-called “lily pad” facilities and forward operating locations.

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“The United States is being smart. It is setting up what it calls lily pads temporary areas where forces can land, refuel, and move quickly,” he explained.

Under this concept, Kwesi Pratt Jnr argued, military presence is not tied to a single, easily identifiable installation, but can be spread across multiple locations, making it misleading to demand a clearly defined base.

“So, you won’t be able to point to one place and say this is the base. It can be anywhere in the country,” he stressed.

He cited the Kotoka International Airport, now Accra International Airport, as an example of a strategic location that could serve such purposes.

He stressed that travelers have observed the arrival of US military personnel at various times.

Beyond the technical argument, Pratt described the issue as one of national consciousness and patriotism.

He urged citizens across political parties, trade unions and civil society groups to support efforts to scrap the agreement.

He revealed that he has personally signed the petition, which is available at the Freedom Centre and online, and called for mass participation to push for its repeal.

Pratt maintains that the agreement is not in Ghana’s national interest, warning that it exposes the country to potential risks while offering limited control over foreign military activities on its soil.

“This agreement is obnoxious… it places every Ghanaian in danger,” he argued.

VPO/AE

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