AU Should Sanction Government Of Ghana For Approving Ghana-US Military Deal

The Author

By 2012,Ghana became part of the 15-member states in the African Union who against all doubts, agreed and have ratified the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance hereinafter "ACDEG". Ghana officially ratified ACDEG charter on 9th September , 2010. This aforementioned charter requires Ghana and all member states who had appended the ratification, submit themselves to the Democratic principles to ensure free and fair elections as well as good and transparent governance , which are all elements of Western democracy, specifically America's democracy.

The charter required these countries to acknowledge in high esteem the fundamental principles of human right and administrative justice, rule of law and liberalism. This same charter empowered the AU to impose sanctions on any government of these member states who may have engaged in any action contrary to the Democratic tenets and principles for which this charter was ratified. I hereby call upon the AU to investigate into the current action taken by the government of Ghana in relation to the US-Ghana military deal approved by Parliament of Ghana, despite outcry of the general public against coming into effect of such initiative.

Parliament of Ghana in the later hours of 23rd March 2018 approved the Ghana-US Military defense coalition deal which the cabinet submitted to Parliament amidst the signing of Memorandum of Understanding hereinafter (MoU) ,between the two nations, despite the states cry against such an absolute undemocratic effect. I initially elaborated in my previous communiqué entitled "Us Military, The Contrast of Ghana Beyond Aid" expressing dissatisfaction for the then proposed Ghana-US military deal .I had been surfing through the web and hopping from one mass media to the other reading, watching and listening to waves of heckling and murmurings of the entire Ghanaian populace against endorsement of the then proposed deal into effect.

So I ask, why the government of Ghana refused listening to the citizens for which they so represent? Are the citizens not the ones who elected them into office? What then happens when the former end up taking decisions without the latter's unwavering approval? Obviously it look like the deal was already finalized before presented to Parliament due to the hasty approval. To what extent could we consider Parliament of Ghana democratic and liberal when only members of the majority caucus could force a deal into effect after all Parliamentarians in the minority caucus walked out of Parliament during proceeding to express their dissatisfaction to the "deal" ? Are Parliamentarians not supposed to be the unquestionable representative of the citizens? What then happens when the so called representatives indulge in undertakings contrary to the collective interest of the entire Ghanaians?

As part of the ACDEG initiative ratified by these countries in the African Union, they are liable to be sanctioned by the AU if their modus operandi goes in contrary to the tenets and standing orders governing the ratification. The AU Convention on ACDEG Article 3(III) states that, "All member states shall promote a system of government that is representative". Article 3(8) also states that," Member states shall exhibit transparency and fairness in the management of public affairs" .Ghana has taken a breach in the ratification of this charter as the democracy she seek to portray is questionable.

Approving an agreement for the US to bring her troops into Ghana for whatever intention no longer my argument, particularly in this article, but rather, the mannerism in which the agreement was ratified. So hasty , unheeded and irresponsive to the tumults of the entire country who objected the deal by expressing a countrywide disapproval. That is a true definition of compromised democracy; an unrepresentative system of governance. I hereby call upon the ACDEG and other international stakeholders to probe deep into this anomaly, even if the government of Ghana will have to be sanctioned with regards to the UN Charter for which Ghana was a cosignatory.

Richard Asumah Kwaku Tetteh
University of Ghana
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