Learn from Gitmo 2 ruling, bring $15bn; Minority demands

The Minority in Parliament has demanded, government brings a $15bn deal with China to parliament for scrutiny and ratification.

Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu told the press Wednesday, the deal is an international agreement and therefore parliamentary approval is required as stipulated by Article 268 of the 1992 constitution.

The law, titled Parliamentary ratification of agreements relating to natural resources states;

268. (I)Any transaction, contract or undertaking involving the grant of a right or concession by or on behalf of any person including the Government of Ghana, to any other person or body of persons howsoever described, for the exploitation of any mineral, water or other natural resource of Ghana made or entered into after the coming into force of this Constitution shall be subject to ratification by Parliament.

The "joint venture" agreement gives China less than 5% of Ghana's 960m metric tonnes bauxite reserves worth $460 billion in exchange for $15billion.

Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia signalled last Tuesday "if we finalise any agreement, eventually, those agreements will have to go to parliament"

He said last Tuesday, government only has a memorandum of understanding with the Sino powerhouse.

But the Minority leader insists the MoU qualifies as an international treaty and is therefore sufficient for parliamentary scrutiny.

"…the people of Ghana would want to know the full details and particulars of any Memorandum of Understanding," the Minority Leader said.

He referred to a recent Supreme Court judgment which faulted the Mahama government for entering into an agreement with the US to accept two former terror suspects without recourse to parliament.

The apex court said the deal was a violation of Article 75 of the 1992 constitution.

The Minority leader urged Dr. Bawumia as "a knowledgeable person" to respect his Oath of Office in which he vowed to uphold the constitution.

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