Foreign Minister
criticised on termination of privileges to rights group
Accra, April 21, Ghanadot/GNA
– The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG),
a pressure group, on Tuesday expressed
dissatisfaction about the way and manner in which diplomatic
privileges accorded the Africa Legal Aid, an international
organisation with headquarters in Accra, was terminated.
“It is regrettable that in spite of our complaints against
Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister of Foreign Affairs, he has
not departed from his arbitrary ways upon being approved by
Parliament as a Minister for Foreign Affairs,” Mr Kwabena
Bomfeh, Spokesperson for AFAG, said at a press conference in
Accra.
He noted that the conduct was a violation of due process and
against the rule of law.
“If Alhaji Mumuni can, without providing any reason
whatsoever, terminate the entire agreement between the
government of Ghana and an international human rights
agency, then one shudders to think of the extent to which he
can abuse his powers as foreign minister in the nation’s
relations with other international organizations.”
Mr Bomfeh said the terms of reference for the agency’s
diplomatic privileges in the agreement stated that any
dispute between the parties shall be settled by arbitration
in accordance with Act 38 under the Arbitration Act of 1961.
“It is pertinent to note that no dispute had occurred
between the government of Ghana and Africa Legal Aid to
warrant the termination of the provisions of the agreement,”
he added.
Mr Bomfeh said the action by the Foreign Minister was a
blatant disregard for mandatory provisions of the agreement
and called on him as a matter of urgency to resign.
GNA
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