US military deal was negotiated on phone – Ablakwa

Minority Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has disclosed that, before the controversial military deal between Ghana and the United States of America (US) became public knowledge, US President, Donald J. Trump called President Akufo-Addo to negotiate the terms involved.

The legislator for North Tongu noted that, the phone call between the two presidents was captured in the fourth paragraph of the preamble to the military deal and was aimed at setting the deal in motion, but he expected President Akufo-Addo to have been tough in seeking the interest of Ghanaians at that point in time.

Speaking at a public forum organized by the Ghana First Patriotic Front (GFPF), he said, “So when paragraph four of the preamble to this agreement reveals that President Trump called our President and they had a dialogue to initiate the negotiation to this agreement that is when we expected President Akufo-Addo to show this kind of robustness and toughness and macho”.

Mr Ablakwa further observed that the tough’ demeanour the President showed while addressing “innocent” Ghanaians is underserved, charging Akufo-Addo to translate that robustness into negotiating deals that benefit the interest of Ghanaians.

Meanwhile a senior research fellow with the Legon Centre for International Affairs (LECIA), Dr. Ken Ahorsu, who also spoke at the event revealed the covetous agenda of the world’s super-powers to pursue the vast natural resources on the Africa continent hence the desire the establish a military base, urging government not to sign the deal.

The Ghana First Patriotic front and Coalition for Ghana’s sovereignty have hinted they will be staging a second demonstration in Tamale to register their displeasure to intensify pressure on government to withdraw the Ghana-US Military Cooperation Agreement.