Coups only retard progress – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked African countries not to entertain coups as they only retard the progress of every nation.

The comment by the President comes after the Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ghana, Professor Atuguba reportedly stated that Ghana is currently a fertile place for coup due to the nation’s current economic crises.

“We do not want coup in this country but if we do not act quickly we may have one in our hands. There is one thing to do now, prevent coup in Ghana since the climate and the environment, national and immediate international, are conducive for one. We must compel the government to acknowledge the current economic mess, they mostly, and previous governments, to a larger extent," the law lecturer said.

“Ghana’s economic problems started before COVID-19. On balance, Covid-19 was a good thing for Africa and Ghana,” Professor Raymond Atuguba added.

Speaking at a meeting with officials from the Pan African Youth Union at Jubilee House in Accra on Thursday, March 3, President Akufo-Addo asked African countries to insist on good governance and democracy.

“We have to insist on good governance and democratic responsibility in our continent. We have seen what the years of coup and military intervention did to our continent in the past. Coups only retard progress. Let’s not entertain them,” Akufo Addo added.

Meanwhile, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has described the coup comment made by the Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ghana, Professor Raymond Atuguba as an attack on Ghana’s democracy.

“Even if they were worse, the Constitution provides legitimate means for advocating for and executing a change. For respected persons to be purporting that such conditions legitimise coups is a terrible attack on our democracy itself and should not be condoned,” Kojo Oppong Nkrumah told press men.