We have not, will not offer military base to U.S. – Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo has affirmed in no uncertain terms, that Ghana has “not offered a military base, and will not offer a military base to the United States of America.”

He was emphatic that, “the U.S. has not made any request for such consideration and, consistent with our established foreign policy, we will not consider any such request.”

In an address to the nation Thursday, the President said, “in consideration of the realities of our circumstances and the challenges to peace in our region in our time, we have deemed it prudent to continue the Co-operation Agreement with the U.S.”

He was confident that the US-Ghana Military Co-operation Agreement “will help enhance our defence capability, and offer an important layer of support in our common effort to protect the peace in our region.”

The US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert Jackson has said the U.S. government is not shortchanging Ghanaians in the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) signed between his country and Ghana.

According to him, the agreement signed between Ghana and the U.S. is not materially different from the defence cooperation agreement which the U.S. has signed with other countries across the world.

Robert Jackson, US Ambassador to Ghana



Mr Jackson said he was hopeful that as the raging public debate goes on, Ghanaians would understand that the conditions do not purport to sell the sovereignty of Ghana.

“This deal is about strengthening the capacities of the security forces of Ghana and the USA. This agreement builds on three existing agreements that are already in force. The agreement does not break new grounds but it brings all of the agreements together.

“It does not involve any condition that is different from the security cooperation between the U.S. and any other country in the world,” he assured.

Explaining why his government had departed from the previous norms of previous governments to keep military co-operation agreements entered into with the world superpower, President Akufo-Addo said his government wanted such agreement subjected to the appropriate scrutiny of Parliament.

This he said was in consonance with the requirements of accountable governance and the teachings of the Constitution.

“But for this decision to be open about this agreement, how else would we, the people of Ghana, have ever known that, for several decades, Ghana has had defence and security co-operation collaborations with the United States of America?

“How else would we have known that, in some instances, we have provided them with facilities for the movement of personnel and equipment to help some of our neighbours who were facing security and health challenges?” he quizzed.

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Source:Myjoyonline