Ghana Parliament agrees stay of two Guantanamo Bay Detainees in Ghana

Parliament has ratified the agreement between the Republic of Ghana and the United States of America on the resettlement in Ghana, of the two former Guantanamo Bay Detainees, Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih al-Dhuby.

The ratification is in accordance with Article 75 (2) of the Constitution, Order 183 of the Standing Orders of Parliament and in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling. 

With the Parliamentary ratification, the two former detainees will continue to stay in the country for the rest of the agreed period.
 
Presenting the report of the Foreign Affairs Committee for the approval of the Agreement, the Chairman of the Committee Frank Annoh Dompreh, said the authorization of the agreement will further strengthen the already cordial relationship between Ghana and the government of the United States of America. 

The Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said government should go beyond the Guantanamo Bay Detainees’ agreement and submit all other International transactions and engagements for Parliamentary endorsement.

The Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, said the erstwhile government should not have entered into the agreement without Parliamentary ratification. 

The two former detainees will continue to stay in the country up to January 2018 when a decision will be taken on them. 

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and regional Integration, there is no decision to extend their stay in the country. 

However the Detainees have the option of applying for asylum at the expiration of their January 2018 Agreement. 

They may also opt to apply for Visa to stay in countries other than Ghana.
 
Approval of request for Asylum according to the Foreign Ministry will be subjected to the recommendations of security agencies under the Ministry of Interior.

GBCONLINE