It was wrong and unacceptable for government to agree a deal to host the two Guantanamo Bay ex-detainees without consulting the Attorney General, former Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Prof Mike Oquaye has said.

“A verbal agreement where there is an offer and acceptance is as good as a written agreement about these Guantanamo people without consulting anyone? Without the expertise and legal advice on the consequences from the Attorney General? And where the Foreign Minister was asked to lead the discussions of the secret meeting at a certain stage? Please, we cannot have that because this is a serious issue,” he told Ekow Mensah-Shalders on the Executive Breakfast Show on Monday 21 March 2016.

Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby have been in the country since January 7, 2016 on a two-year stay, as part of a deal reached between the governments of the United States of America (USA) and Ghana.

They were held for more than 13 years at the detention facility in Cuba over terrorism, but they have denied membership of any terrorist group.

But the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Dome-Kwabenya believes there are many consequences of the deal and proper consultations needed to have been taken before accepting the agreement.

The issue created a heated debate in the country as minority MPs opposed the decision with several organisations, such as the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), as well as security experts, declaring their stance against it.

However, the Chief Imam of Ghana and member of the National Peace Council, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sherabutu, believes it is not out of place to host the two if they have reformed and have no allegiance to any terrorist group.