Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey had the whole of 2017 to add an exit clause to the Gitmo 2 agreement, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye has stated.

The Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo Constituency was commenting on why the erstwhile National Democratic Congress government did not negotiate certain salient clauses before accepting the two ex-Guantanamo Bay detainees.

One of such salient clauses was an exit clause in the agreement.

But shifting the blame, Mr. Vanderpuye argued on Joy News TV’s AM Show Tuesday that, the Supreme Court had ordered for the agreement to be brought to parliament or the government return the former detainees.

Read: Supreme Court Declares Gitmo 2 Agreement Illegal

Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey

"Is she [Foreign Minister, Ayorkor Botchwey] telling me that when she brought the agreement to Parliament for ratification and she looked at the agreement and there were no exit clauses...she did not find it expedient to add them?” he asked.

“…this whole thing baffles me”, he added.

Gitmo 2

Mr. Vanderpuye also rebutted government's argument that its hands are tied by the refugee status conferred on the two by the previous government.

Mahama tied our hands with GITMO 2 refugee status – Gov't cries foul

“…under our legal regime, no law in this world prevents revoking of refugee status”, he said.

Gov’t can revoke Gitmo 2 refugee status – Ablakwa

“Review this Gitmo 2 agreement and if you find it not in the interest of Ghana”, revoke it, Nii Lantey added.

NPP MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Emmanuel Agyarko however, told the show that the Gitmo 2 agreement was an "albatross" bequeathed the government.

Emmanuel Agyarko

“There were so many things that the NDC government did not think through before bringing the two into Ghana”, he said.