The Ghana First Patriotic Front today [Saturday] organized a massive demonstration in Tamale against the controversial Ghana-US military deal.

This being the second leg of the nationwide demonstration against the deal, leading members of the main opposition the National Democratic Congress (NDC) including its General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, a party elder, Alhaji Hudu Yayaha and North Tongu Legislator, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa participated.

The demonstrators held placards with inscriptions such as, “No to US military base in Ghana,” “We want jobs not military base,” “Ghanaians deserve some respect, Mr. Akufo Addo,” Our sovereignty is not for sale,” and “Take Ayariga’s $20 million and give Ghana back to us.”

They marched through some principal streets of the Tamale Metropolis and implored President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo’s government to rescind the deal.

Various speakers will later address the gathering at the Tamale Jubilee Park where the protest began.

We will spit more fire over Ghana-US military deal- Minority

The opposition NDC Minority had earlier vowed to continue to pile pressure on the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the controversial defence cooperation agreement between Ghana and the US.

“We are wholly committed to holding the feet of the NPP and the Akufo-Addo government to the fire of accountability,” the Minority Spokesperson Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini said at the time.

He said the NDC was poised to hold the Akufo-Addo government accountable for their many campaign promises that won them power at the 2016 polls.

Alhaji Fusseini stressed that, “Government will see real fire and fury from the NDC in and outside of Parliament inasmuch as demonstrations and the Ghana-US Military Agreement are concerned. I am telling you something, we will make it costly for the NPP to carry forward the agreement.”

“The Executive would have executed the agreement before it was brought to Parliament. We brought it to the attention of the Speaker to no avail. So from day one we have been against it. It is an illegality. It is a walking contradiction and an affront to our constitution. They will tell you our NDC MPs approved this at the Committee level. It is blatant falsehood,” he fumed.

According to him, the NDC and their allies will not relax their resistance to the Ghana-US Army deal.

“The Akufo-Addo government is yet to see the very least of resistance against the Ghana-US Military Agreement from the Minority. We are very ready to spit fire over the controversial deal.”

He then hinted at the nationwide protest by the Ghana First Patriotic Front and its allies against the deal, the first of which was held in Accra.

“The Ghana First Patriotic Front demonstration was the first and smallest in a series of demonstrations that will rock this government. The selling of our sovereignty to the US is something we will hold President Akufo-Addo’s legs to the fire of accountability.”

“When ordinary people do not agree to something, no one can force them into it. The first demonstration by Ghana First Patriotic Front is the first of many they are yet to see.”