Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in August 2017, said the Ministry and other stakeholders were already working on an exit plan for the two detainees before their stay expiry date of January 6, 2018.
She stressed that there will be “no further obligation” to keep the two “unless the two governments agree otherwise and in accordance with due process”.
“Considering the fact that no findings have linked the detainee to any terror group, and the importance of the Agreement to the strengthening of the bond between… Ghana and the government of the United States… the Committee wishes to recommend to the House to adopt its report and ratify the agreement… on the Resettlement in Ghana of two (2) former Guantanamo Bay detainees,” the Foreign Affairs Committee Report said.
With their stay expiring, it’s immediately unclear what the next line of action of government will be regarding the two ex detainees.
Parliament on Tuesday August 1, 2017 ratified an agreement to allow the two ex-Guantanamo Bay detainees to stay in Ghana, following a Supreme Court order.
The Court ruled that their stay in Ghana is unconstitutional without Parliamentary approval.
The court ordered that government should within three months subject the agreement to parliamentary consideration and approval.
In default the two Gitmo detainees should be returned.
When the matter came up for discussion, Parliament was informed that the agreement that was reached were note verbale and Memorandum of Understanding.