Ghana Politics: Akufo-Addo must tell us why he gave uranium to China - Minority

The opposition lawmakers said that the government should have sought parliamentary approval before the highly-enriched uranium was flown out of Ghana to China.

The Minority in Parliament wants the government to come clean about its decision to fly to back to China, the highly-enriched uranium.

The opposition lawmakers in a statement said that the government should have sought parliamentary approval before the highly-enriched uranium was flown out of Ghana.

 

Their comment follows a revelation made by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during the United Nations’ 72 General Assembly on Thursday that: "Three weeks ago, highly-enriched uranium was flown out of Ghana back to China, signalling the end of the removal of all such material from the country. Our nuclear reactor has, subsequently, been converted to use low-enriched fuel for power generation. A world free of nuclear weapons must be in all our collective interest.”

But a statement released and signed by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday said that the government must submit to Parliament, “the full details and true nature of the agreement with the Chinese and the Americans, who appear to have funded the operation.”

Below is the full statement:

Minority Statement on the handing over of Ghana's Highly-Enriched Uranium to China

President Akufo-Addo revealed during his address to the United Nations 72nd General Assembly on Thursday the 21st of September, 2017 that: "Three weeks ago, highly-enriched uranium was flown out of Ghana back to China, signaling the end of the removal of all such material from the country. Our nuclear reactor has, subsequently, been converted to use low-enriched fuel for power generation. A world, free of nuclear weapons, must be in all our collective interest.”

Considering the recent Supreme Court decision in the GITMO 2 case when interpreting Article 75 of the Constitution of Ghana, it is clear that this arrangement which has been shrouded in utmost secrecy ought to have received Parliamentary ratification at the very least before handing over our highly-enriched uranium to the Chinese if that is the path we consider to be in our strategic national interest.

The Minority in Parliament is, therefore, requesting that the Government of Ghana submits to Parliament the full details and true nature of the agreement with the Chinese and the Americans who appear to have funded the operation.

While reminding Government of its obligations to several other agreements yet to be ratified by Parliament, the Minority shall be pursuing this very important development in the spirit of transparency and good governance consistent with the view taken by the apex court of the land.

Signed,

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP)

Ranking Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs

The opposition lawmakers said that the government should have sought parliamentary approval before the highly-enriched uranium was flown out of Ghana to China. Read Full Story