Gitmo 2 is Squarely Mahama’s Problem, Not Akufo-Addo’s Hang-Up

Rather than being blamed for a diplomatic faux-pas unwisely and recklessly created by a politically naïve and pathologically shallow-minded prostitution-prone former President John Dramani Mahama, President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ought to be highly commended for remarkably and nobly raising the standards of proper and lawful political engagement in the country, vis-à-vis the scandalous behind-the-scenes negotiations with the erstwhile Obama Administration to have two Arab-descended Guantanamo Bay prison inmates “transitionally” or transiently settled in Ghana (See “Gitmo 2: Akufo-Addo’s Comments Will Return to Haunt Him – Lecturer” Classfmonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 6/23/17).

What made this decision by then-President Mahama outrageous was the fact that the Ghanaian leader both unwisely and unlawfully rode roughshod over the constitutional requirement that the sitting president consult with a plenary session of Parliament, or at least the parliamentary committees on Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and National Security, before appending his signature to the compact that saw the two Muslim terror suspects – they were never tried and convicted, by the way – settled in the country. The fact that Mr. Mahama brazenly flouted constitutional stipulation enjoining him to consult with Parliament, clearly indicates that the former President was fully aware of the high possibility of the agreement’s being roundly rejected by the elected representatives of the people.

It also showed his abject lack of respect and concern for the security and safety of Ghanaian citizens. Mr. Mahama may also have facilely privileged the fact of President Obama’s being the first African-American President of the United States over and above the long-term implications and security interests of Ghana. The Supreme Court’s ruling by a 6-to-1 margin of majority, that former President Mahama’s decision to have the Gitmo 2 settled in Ghana was in bad faith and in contravention of the country’s 1992 Constitution, actually vindicates the acute and collectively, or nationally, self-interested position taken by then-Candidate Akufo-Addo that the decision inexcusably lacked common sense and patriotism.

It was also quite predictable that the only dissenting voice on the Apex Court’s panel of jurists that adjudicated the matter would be that of Justice William Atuguba, the man who invidiously finessed the now-President Akufo-Addo out of a clear electoral victory in the 2012 general election. On the latter panel that heard the grievances of Messrs. Akufo-Addo, Bawumia and Obetsebi-Lamptey, deceased, we are reliably informed by a Nigerian scholar who was sponsored by an American-based foundation to research that impasse or presidential-election petition, that the decision of several jurists on the Atuguba-presided panel had been clerically altered more than a couple of times, after some of the judges complained that their original votes had been altered without their consent.

Now, the Supreme Court decision does not automatically mean that the Gitmo 2 are going to be either promptly returned to Guantanamo Bay, and into the chilly hands of their former American captors and prison overlords. What the Supreme Court decision simply means is that former President Mahama acted recklessly and grossly incompetently and, perhaps, even criminally in the matter. The Flagstaff House has wisely and responsibly stated that it has absolutely no intention of deporting the largely well-behaved Gitmo 2 terror suspects from the country. That is, as long as the former Gitmo inmates continue to deport themselves constructively with no suspicion of mischief or intended mischief in the country.

There is, of course, every reason to believe that the Akufo-Addo government will honor its side of this recklessly and unwisely struck deal. We shall be discussing other aspects of this matter, as they become discursively relevant and necessary.

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By Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, Jr., Ph.D.
English Department, SUNY-Nassau
Garden City, New York
June 23, 2017
E-mail: [email protected]