General News of Wednesday, 28 March 2018

Source: classfmonline.com

We’re not anti-U.S – Minority

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa,MP for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa,MP for North Tongu

The Minority caucus in parliament has indicated that its members are not against the government of the United States of America (USA) but only against the terms of a military agreement signed between Ghana and the American government.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minority’s Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, said the Minority would have opposed the deal even if it came from Russia or any other country, therefore, their action is not against America.

The Minority on Wednesday, 28 March joined a demonstration organised by members of the Ghana First Patriotic Front (GFPF) against the ratified Ghana-U.S. defence cooperation agreement.

As part of the agreement, the United States of America’s government will be spending $20million in training and supplying equipment for the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

Ghana has also agreed to bear the cost and take primary responsibility for securing US military facilities in the country.

The approval of the agreement was done by only the Majority side of parliament with the Minority staging a walkout.

Speaking to Chief Jerry Forson on Ghana Yensom on Accra100.5FM on Wednesday, 28 March, Mr Ablakwa, who is also the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, said: “This is not a way against America, we are not against America, we are against the agreement that has been signed because it is bad for Ghana. The deal does not represent Ghana’s interest.”

He added: “We would have opposed it even if it came from Russia or any other country.”