US Military Pact: Focus On Issues Not Emotions – US Diplomat

The Public Affairs Officer of the US Embassy in Ghana Roberto Quiroz has charged Ghanaian politicians to focus on facts relating to the US military pact.

He said there is no mystery about the deal and that politicians should concentrate on the facts rather than being emotional that Ghana’s sovereignty is being sold to US.

The Public Affairs Officer of the US Embassy in Ghana said the facts are there for people to read calling on them to desist from peddling falsehoods about the deal.

He said people have the right to criticise the deal advising them not to ride on democracy to spread lies which will not augur well for the two countries.

Mr Quiroz said Americans are close friends of Ghanaians due to the bilateral ties that exist between them.

He observed that majority of Ghanaians are living in the US saying the countries are very close to each other and that Ghanaian troops have in the past being invited by the US for exchange programmes.

Speaking on Ultimate Breakfast Show hosted by Lantam Papanko, he assured that the US respects the sovereignty of Ghana and will not act in anyway that will jeopardize its people.

He stated that Ghanaian soldiers are accorded the same privileges when they visit the US adding that the two countries learn from each other.

Mr Quiroz congratulated Ghana for engaging in democratic discourse on the deal saying the Ghanaian public has the right to know the details of the agreement.

‘…To be clear there has never been any discussion of the US military establishing a base in Ghana. That is something Ambassador Robert Jackson made clear last week… There is nothing mysterious about this, it is very clear,… we have a responsibility to ensure that Ghanaians are informed about this and do not have the perception that it is otherwise. The public has the right to be informed but please let us focus on issues rather than emotions. Let Ghanaians understand that we respect the sovereignty of this great nation of Ghana, we are very happy to answer the questions,’ he explained.

Asked if the $20 million is a fair deal for Ghana, he said ‘Lets not talk about deals because friendship and cooperation are much more valuable than that. We have a partnership, we have a friendship, we have a cooperation…. Ghana shines as a hope and example for the continent. Ghana has survived democracy’.

Majority of Ghanaians have raised concerns about the deal arguing that the sovereignty of Ghana is being sold for pittance.

Yesterday (Thursday) the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his nation address allayed fears that Ghana has offered US the opportunity to establish a military base.

He assured that he will not sell the sovereignty of Ghana calling on members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to stop being hypocritical about the deal.

 

By: Ghana/Ultimatefmonline.com/106.9FM

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