Next NDC government will slap treason charges on Nitiwul – Asiedu Nketiah

The next National Democratic Congress (NDC) government will charge Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul with treason if the controversial military deal is ratified, the NDC General Secretary has said.

Johnson Asiedu Nketiah said the Ghana-US military agreement, currently before Parliament, amounts to a complete sale of the country’s sovereignty, which is a high crime against the state.

At a news conference in Accra Thursday, he said the next NDC administration in 2021 will not delay in terminating the deal in order to free Ghanaians from modern slavery.

The Defence Minister and US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert Jackson have both defended the agreement, saying it will see the injection of $20million into Ghana’s economy.

“I sincerely believe that $20million is well-worth public scrutiny and when people see the actual execution [of the deal] they will say it is worth it,” Mr Jackson told Joy News’ Gifty Andoh-Appiah.

But the opposition lawmakers have assured Ghanaians they will do everything within their power to resist the agreement in order to safeguard the sovereignty and security of Ghana.

Describing the amount involved as a pittance, the Minority said the US is getting more, including unimpeded access to strategic state institutions, while Ghana is getting less.

“The Defence Cooperation Agreement is not in our national interest [and even]…common sense will never accept it,” Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu told Evans Mensah on Joy FM’s Top Story.

Supporting his law makers, the NDC General Secretary said Mr Nitiwul risks being charged with treason for his pathetic defence of the deal when he knows it is indefensible.

“In his lack of candour, Nitiwul has sought to draw the parallel between the current agreement and previous agreements which were very limited in scope but this is unlimited in scope,” Mr Nketia said.

Source: myjoyonline