GITMO 2 ARE NOT A HUGE THREAT

Sometimes when I ponder over the way some Ghanaians cause fear and panic to themselves and the society at large, I understand why we have simple solutions for some problems in Ghana but are implementing cumbersome solutions. Our level of exaggerating simple issues are just getting overboard; typical is the issues on GITMO 2.

News trickled in few days ago that the Ghana government has decided to accept the GITMO 2 as refugees in Ghana, thus are allowed to continue staying in Ghana as long as they desire but under the refugee tag. This announcement has since caused tongues wagging with a section of citizens claiming that it is dangerous for the country to allow the former Al-Qaeda terror suspects from Yemen to continue residing in Ghana.

In January 2016 under the John Mahama administration, ex-President of the US Barack Obama as part of a move to dissolve the US Naval Base prison at Guantanamo Bay ordered that 2 Yemen Nationals – Muhammad Bin Atef, 36 and Khalid Muhammad Salih al-Dhuby, 34 suspected to be terrorists be brought to Ghana for a period of 2 years after which they are free of all accusations.

The 2 years is over and the Presidency has announced that considering the chaste life of the GITMO 2 coupled with their already acquired refugee status in Ghana, government is allowing the two Yemenis to continue staying in Ghana as refugees. This announcement have sparked a lot of argument in the Ghanaian media and among citizens with many scared that the continue stay of GITMO 2 in Ghana is tantamount to likely terrorist attack on the country.

In this article, I want to express my opinion on why I think many of the hullabaloo being made about the continue stay of GITMO 2 in Ghana are uncalled for. Many of the commentary against the decision are doing nothing but just causing fear and panic among some citizens as well as making the Yemenis citizens feel uncomfortable in a place they are already settled comfortably with some family and friends.

One most important fact that we must bear in mind is that the GITMO 2 were not convicted of any terrorist crime. Information available to us states that the two Yemen nationals were suspected Al-Qaeda terrorists. The word ‘suspect’ which was not tagged by Ghana but by the arresting nation themselves depicts that the two men may or may not be terrorists. It probably was for certain unfound reasons that they were arrested and detained in the US Naval Base prison in Guantanamo Bay. Even the USA could not prove that the two men were directly involved in a terrorist act so it will be an unfounded claim to get scared that the two additions to Ghana’s number of refugees are part of any terrorist organization or can trigger any terrorist attack on Ghana.

Furthermore, news has it that the GITMO two have integrated into the Yemeni Association in Ghana and have gone on to give birth with women in Ghana. This information should be one that must curb part of the fear and panic. Even though having children does not mean they cannot be involved in terrorist acts, the decision to settle down and have family should inform us on how known, responsible and settled the GITMO 2 have been in the 2 years of their stay in Ghana. Mingling with fellow Yemenis to the extent of having children shows that the men are traceable enough since people know of them and their current where about.

Notwithstanding, we must not belittle the intelligence of Ghana security agencies involved in keeping an eye on whatever activities the GITMO two engages in. In as much as we can sometimes count the fall outs of our security apparatus, I bet the security agencies are not sleeping on their job pertaining to monitoring and guarding the country against possible terrorist attacks. It is not all security arrangements on how the GITMO 2 are and will be monitored that will be revealed to the public. In this light we must know that just as our security officials were able to monitor their stay for the past 2 years, they will not leave ajar the monitory regulations. I am convinced that even the US who gave us the so called burden of housing the GITMO 2 will not abandon us in terms of security.

In conclusion, I will state that the decision to offer the GITMO 2 a refugee status did not just come out of the blue but out of many considerations and extensive deliberations. In any case we are not out of the world, meaning like all countries in the world including the most powerful countries, we are not safe from terrorist attacks for which me may claim that the stay of 2 suspected terrorists will open the gate for a terror attack. If the terror attack will come, it will come based on many issues other than the stay of GITMO 2; some of which are already taking center stage in the country.

Thanks for reading…Another Reality from my Medulla Oblongata.

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