Ghana: Opposition against US military base rises

Under the agreement, US soldiers can kill Ghanian without justice, can enter Ghana with only ID cards.

President of Ghana wont be able to enter US Military base in Ghana

By Ologeh Joseph Chibu

As the United States scrambles to secure a military base in West Africa, having lost out in Mali, voices of opposition are rising against the plot

In Ghana, a notable critic Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr said the presence of US military on Ghanian soil would suggest that Ghanians are inferior to US citizens.

He said the agreement is nothing but slavery and dehumanisation of Ghanians.

Under the deal, US soldiers can enter Ghana without passports while the President of Ghana has no right to enter the US Military base. US soldiers entering the country also cannot be searched by Ghanian customs.

In Nigeria, opposition is also mounting against any move to allow US military base in Nigeria.

Kwesi Prath said the content of the proposed Memorandum of Understanding, (MOU) stinks.

He spoke with passion, his words laden with concern for his beloved country.

“We have already heard a lot about foreign military bases on our continent,” Kwesi Pratt Jnr began, his tone with sadness.

He said “And I feel sad that Ghana is hosting one of these foreign military bases.”

His audience nodded in agreement, their expressions mirroring the deep concern etched on Kwesi’s face. He said the idea negatives the principle of Ghana’s founding fathers and that the agreement will spell doom for Ghana’s sovereignty.

Hear him.”Now, if you read the terms under which these military bases are established in our continent, you feel sad, you feel hopeless.”

He paused, letting his words sink in.

He said the proposed US military base in Ghana if allowed will pitch Ghana against radical anti-imperialist forces across the world.

“Under the agreement which allows the U.S to establish this military base, our Head of State is stopped from entering that territory.”

Kwesi Pratt Jnr said if that was not enough, in the agreement, Ghana would have committed to an arrangement under which if U.S soldiers come to Ghana and kill Ghanaians, the citizens cannot go to court to ask for redress.

He shook his head in disbelief, his frustration obvious. “We have given our frequencies for the use of the U.S military for free. Our frequencies are given to the U.S forces for free. When Ghanians have to pay millions in order to get frequencies to establish radio, television stations, and so on.”

He said under the circumstances, Ghana has given U.S soldiers privileges way and above diplomats.

He spoke further “Because even the American ambassador needs a passport to enter Ghana, a U.S soldier does not need a passport to enter Ghana.”

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the crowd before concluding with a resounding call to action, “This arrangement means that we have accepted that we are inferior. And that is one of the reasons why we need to wake up and dismantle this arrangement in order to establish equality and so on.”

When Kwesi Pratt Jnr concluded his speech, the crowd erupted into applause voices raised in solidarity with his call for justice and equality.