Mahama erred in accepting Gitmo Two – Joe Ghartey

Former Attorney General and 2nd Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Ghartey says President John Mahama breached the constitution by deciding to host the two former Guatanamo Bay detainees.

He argues that the President should have consulted Parliament on the issue because it was an international agreement between Ghana and the United States.

The MP, who premised his argument on Article 75 of the constitution, argued that the President did not have the power to take unilateral decisions in matters relating to international agreements.

He made these comments at the Almond Institute New Year Leadership Series in Accra.

“We are told that was a negotiation for about a year between two countries. If it was an international agreement then it should have to come to Parliament…The President does not have the power, he can talk to the Minister of Interior who will talk to Director of Education but he cannot exercise that power has been given to someone else through an act of Parliament.

Every power that the President exercises must be referable to a source. The source being the constitution, being the law, act of Parliament…,” he said.

Joe Ghartey is not the first to criticize the President for breaching the constitution.

Ace Ankomah has also raised the similar concerns, saying the President should have sought parliamentary approval before going ahead to host the two.

By:citifmonline.com