Coup is not an experience I will recommend for any generation - Kufuor

Coups experienced in parts of Africa recently

John Kufuor urges media to be objective watchdogs

Kufuor says coups destroy lives

A former President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor, has stated that the effect of coup d’états on a country is something he would never wish for any generation to experience.

He explained that it is usually faceless people who have never had the experience of such political turmoil who seem to make calls for coups when they have no idea how devastating a thing it can be on a country.

According to the elderly statesman, unless people want to experience firsthand what it feels like to have their lives destroyed, then coups should be the last thing they should be calling for, reports asaaseradio.com.

“Coup is not an experience I will recommend for any generation.

“I wouldn’t advise anybody to hail a coup d’état. It comes from faceless people you don’t know, who haven’t given anything to keep for you or to manage for you, and they may not even be competent enough to do anything. And if they come, they use an opportunity and come to impose themselves on you and destroy your life. Is this what anybody should want?” he quizzed.

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor was speaking with the portal on the recent series of coups that have been witnessed particularly in West Africa.

He also used the opportunity to urge the media to maximize its influence and ensure that it does not rather become a conduit for politicians to abuse free speech.

“Unfortunately, these days, especially in the times of social media, media turns to be too sensational.

“The sort of language one hears on the airwaves will give the impression the media are not yet up to appreciate their civic responsibilities, the social role to safeguard the constitution and uphold the transformational processes to better the lot of the citizenry at large,” he said.