Isaac Hubert Arthur, Exec. Director of Africa Centre for International Trade and Development
The Executive Director of the Africa Centre for International Trade and Development, Isaac Hubert Arthur is concerned that the continental Free Trade Agreement may lose its impact if countries sign a unilateral deal with other countries outside the continent.
Ghana is expected to sign a trade deal with the UK on Tuesday and that is expected to deepen bilateral ties and give exporters hope.
Speaking in an interview with Accra-based JoyNews monitored by GhanaWeb, Mr. Arthur said the fragmentation of trade deals may cause countries participating in AfCFTA to lose their focus.
Our Reporter
FORMER President John Dramani Mahama has joined other Ghanaians in condemning the military invasion of the Chamber of Parliament on Thursday, following the continued failure of lawmakers-elect to elect the Speaker for the Eighth Parliament.
The soldiers, numbering about 20, emerged in the Chamber together with armed policemen ostensibly to restore calm in the Chamber.
The well-armed security detail, with some having facemasks, came to the floor of Parliament at about 3.30 a.m. reportedly on the orders of the former Minister of Defence, Mr. Dominic Nitiwul.
The appearance of the military rocked the nerves of the legislators, especially members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Graphic Online
BY: Zadok Kwame Gyesi
705
A security analyst Col. Festus Aboagy (rtd) is of the view that the failure on the part of service commanders to tell politicians what they can do and what they cannot do is what has led to the deployment of armed military personnel to the chamber of Ghana’s parliament to handle security issues.
For him, it is dangerous for Ghana’s democracy to involve the military in matters that ought to be handled by the police.
Speaking in an interview with Accra-based Joynews on Thursday morning, January 7, 2021, Col. Aboagy said service commanders have the professional responsibility to advise politicians as to what they can do and what they cannot do, stressing that “because we have been failing to over many years in telling politicians where the lines must be drawn, that is why the politicians are emboldened all the time to exert pressure in issues that the military must not be involved; and is a danger.”
Graphic Online
BY: Zadok Kwame Gyesi
705
The National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) Member of Parliament for Tamale Central constituency, Ibrahim Mohammed Murtala, has called on the parliamentary leadership to properly investigate the military invasion of Ghana’s parliament during the election of a Speaker for the house in the early hours of Thursday, January 7, 2021.
He said it was unnecessary that armed military personnel invaded the parliamentary chamber since parliament has its own security to handle matters in that respect.
The Tamale Central MP was speaking to Accra-based Joynews in an interview at the Parliament house in Accra on Thursday, January 7, 2021.
He alleged that it was the Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul who called the military to the Parliamentary chamber, pointing out that he (Murtala) confronted him when he was making the call.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said former President John Dramani Mahama could have unleashed soldiers on the streets of the country when he lost the 2016 polls.
According to Abass Nurudeen who is the Ashanti Regional Communications Officer of the party, the former President chose peace over violence and handed over to current President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who is feet-dragging after it emerged he lost the 2020 polls.
The NDC Executive in an interview on Accra-based Okay FM monitored by MyNewsGh.com revealed that Mahama has the opportunity of imposing curfew among other decisions just to stay in power but considered the general interest of the country which paved the way for Akufo-Addo to be declared the winner of the polls and subsequently sworn into office.