General News of Friday, 6 April 2018Source: Dailyguideafrica.comFresh NDC-US military deal pops upThe deal was signed by Gbevlo-Lartey for Ghana and Donald Teitelbaum then US Ambassador in 2012New details have emerged that the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration under President John Evans Atta Mills signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States government to establish a regional training base for law enforcement and criminal justice organization in Ghana. According to a document available to DAILY GUIDE, Ghana and the US, as well as other international organizations, were to implement a regional training base that would focus on combating transnational crime and build criminal justice sector capacity in the member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Per the agreement, the US government would establish a Regional Training Centre that would utilize “physical space in an existing facility in Accra and have close proximity to the Kotoka International Airport and other supporting facilities for lodging, food and transportation.”The agreement also exempted “all equipment, material, and articles that may be imported for use in implementing the programme of all customs duties and taxes concerning their entry into Ghana, in accordance with current national legislation within the framework of non-reimbursable international technical cooperation.”Interestingly, the MoU also granted “the issuance of temporary official visas at no cost that may be required for instructors, consultants, advisers and students with the purpose of attending the regional training centre.”AdministrationAccording to the MoU, which was signed by Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, then National Security Coordinator and Donald G. Teitelbaum, then US Ambassador to Ghana, the US government (USG) intended to provide training courses at the regional training centre and all the services may be provided through a contract awarded by the US government. The MoU was signed on July 5, 2012, some few days before the death of President Atta Mills. Per the agreement, the USG intended to fund an “in-country USG programme director, who is responsible for all daily activities in support of the programmes.“The programme director would be responsible for all daily activities in support of the programme.

Source: GhanaWeb April 06, 2018 10:07 UTC