Donald Trump called Prez. Akufo-Addo to negotiate military deal – Ablakwa alleges

• Posted on April 13, 2018
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

It has emerged that before the controversial joint military cooperation agreement between Ghana and the United States of America (US) became public knowledge, President of US, Donald J. Trump had called President Akufo-Addo to set the deal in motion.

The revelation made by the ranking member on Parliament’s foreign affairs committee Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has it that, the genesis of the defence deal which has since generated public debate was when Mr Trump placed a phone call to Akufo-Addo to negotiate the terms of the deal.

According to the North Torgu legislator, the said phone call was captured in paragraph four of the preamble to the military agreement.

“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 the President Akufo-Addo to show this kind of robustness and toughness and macho”. He said.

Speaking at a public forum organized by the Ghana First Patriotic Front (GFPF) at the University of Ghana in Accra, Mr. Ablakwa observed that the President’s ‘tough’ demeanor 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 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.

President Akufo-Addo’s address which was intended to bring closure on the heated public sentiment against the pact seem to have done little if not fuel the controversy as more civil society organisations speak up against the deal.

As part of activities to intensify pressure on government to withdraw the Ghana-US Military Cooperation Agreement, the Ghana First Patriotic Front and Coalition for Ghana’s Sovereignty will be staging a second demonstration in Tamale to lodge their displeasure.