GITMO 2: We’ve taken steps to ratify their stay – Mustapha Hamid

Enoch Darfah Frimpong Jun - 22 - 2017 , 21:44

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The Minister of Information, Mr Mustapha Abdul Hamid has explained that the two ex-detainees from Guantanamo Bay (GITMO) have been comporting themselves well since their arrival in Ghana in 2015.

He said they were still under the supervision of the security agencies and that government was going to take prompt steps to address the consequential orders from the Supreme Court that said the agreement that brought the two to Ghana should be taken to Parliament for ratification.

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the government to send the agreement that brought the two ex-detainees from Guantanamo Bay (GITMO) to Ghana to Parliament for ratification.

According to the Supreme Court that should be done in the next three months else the government should send t

In a statement signed and issued by Mr Mustapha Hamid on Thursday evening, in reaction to the Supreme Court ruling, he called for calm among the populace on the matter.

“Government has taken notice of the judgement of the Supreme Court delivered on Thursday, 22nd June 2017 by a 6-1 majority, in the matter of Margarette Banful & Henry Nana Boakye Vrs Attorney General.”

“In the judgement of the Apex Court, presided over by new Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo, has held that the agreement between the Governments of Ghana and the United States of America, for the resettlement of two (2) ex-detainees from Guantanamo Bay, required parliamentary approval in accordance with Article 75 (2) of the Constitution, and a failure to secure same makes the hosting of the two ex-detainees in Ghana unconstitutional.

“Consequently, the Court has instructed that the agreement be given Parliamentary approval within three (3) months or the ex-detainees deported out of Ghana upon a failure by Parliament to ratify the agreement."