The minority in Parliament is demanding clarity from government over revelations by president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that Ghana has off-loaded a highly enriched Uranium to China.
Addressing the 72nd United Nations General Assembly last Thursday in New York, USA, Mr. Akufo-Addo said “Our nuclear reactor has subsequently been converted to use low-enriched fuel for power generation. A world free of nuclear weapons must be in all our collective interest.”
The president added “three weeks ago, highly-enriched uranium was flown out of Ghana back to China, signaling the end of the removal of all such material from the country.”
But NDC Member of Parliament for South Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the arrangemrnt has been shrouded in utmost secrecy.
He added that the move also failed to receive parliamentary ratification before it took place.
“Considering the recent Supreme Court decision in the Gitmo case when interpreting Article 75 of the Constitution of Ghana, it is clear that this arrangement which has been shrouded in utmost secrecy ought to have received Parliamentary ratification at the very least before handing over our highly-enriched uranium to the Chinese if that is the path we consider to be in our strategic national interest.
“The Minority in Parliament has decided to compel the Government of Ghana when Parliament resumes from recess to submit to Parliament the full details and true nature of the agreement with the Chinese and the Americans who appear to have funded the operation.”
Below is the full statement
President Akufo-Addo revealed during his address to the United Nations 72nd General Assembly on Thursday the 21st of September, 2017 that: “Three weeks ago, highly-enriched uranium was flown out of Ghana back to China, signaling the end of the removal of all such material from the country.
Our nuclear reactor has, subsequently, been converted to use low-enriched fuel for power generation. A world, free of nuclear weapons, must be in all our collective interest.”
Considering the recent Supreme Court decision in the Gitmo case when interpreting Article 75 of the Constitution of Ghana, it is clear that this arrangement which has been shrouded in utmost secrecy ought to have received Parliamentary ratification at the very least before handing over our highly-enriched uranium to the Chinese if that is the path we consider to be in our strategic national interest.
The Minority in Parliament has decided to compel the Government of Ghana when Parliament resumes from recess to submit to Parliament the full details and true nature of the agreement with the Chinese and the Americans who appear to have funded the operation.
While reminding government of its obligations to several other agreements yet to be ratified by Parliament, the Minority shall be pursuing this very important development in the spirit of transparency and good governance consistent with the view taken by the apex court of the land.
Signed,
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP)
Ranking Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
