Still Send Those GITMO 2 ‘Refugees’ Back To The United States – Occupy Ghana Puts Pressure On Government

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]ressure group, OccupyGhana, is asking President Nana Akufo-Addo to repatriate the two Guantanamo Bay detainees because the New Patriotic Party (NPP) kicked against their stay in Ghana when it was in opposition.

According to a member of the Occupy Ghana, Nana Sarpong Agyemang Badu, although the previous administration granted the two former terror suspects refugee status, the current government must show them the exit.

“Send them back to the US as the NPP in opposition kicked against the Mahama-led administration in opposition on their stay in Ghana,” Nana Sarpong told the host of Adom FM’s Burning Issues programme hosted by Afia Pokua on the controversies surrounding the fate of the two detainees.

“The NPP spoke against it strongly in opposition and now that they’re in power, they should send them back to where they came from” he stressed.

Foreign minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey told Parliament on January 24, 2018, the two have been given refugee status and are therefore the responsibility of the Ghana government.

“No exit arrangements were originally discussed between the two governments to end the bilateral arrangement at the time of negotiations,” she told the legislators.

The Minister said the government had granted the two Yemeni nationals, Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammed Salih Al-Dhuby, refugee status before the end of their mandatory two-year stay in the country.

Speaking on Burning Issues, Nana Sarpong told Afia Pokua that Ghanaians should continue to push for the refugee status of the Gitmo 2 to be revoked.

He admits that it may be difficult to repatriate the two due to international conventions on refugees, but says Ghanaians should continue to mount pressure on the government.

He said the agreement between the previous government and the US must not place a limitation on the citizenry feel is best for their security.

Contributing to the discussions, the Minority’s spokesperson of Foreign Affairs in Parliament, Samuel Okudjeto-Ablakwa dared the government to revoke the refugee status of the two detainees if it thinks NDC government erred in granting them the status as stipulated in the refugees’ law.

The North Tongu MP also cautioned government not to politicize their stay in Ghana again as the NPP used it as a political tool ahead of the 2016 general elections.