ECOWAS coups must end – President Akufo-Addo

West Africa is becoming toxic, Akufo-Addo

Coups show that not everyone has accepted Democracy, Ghana’s president

The resurgence of coups in West Africa is a violation of our democratic tenets, Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged leaders of West African countries to help stop military takeovers in the sub-region.

According to the president, the recent coups in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, together with ongoing jihadists attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic has made life unbearable for some citizens in the sub-region.

Speaking at an emergency virtual summit of heads of state and governments of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Akufo-Addo said coups are becoming frequent in the sub-Region because the community’s protocol on democracy and good governance adopted in 2001 is not being adhered to.

The president who is also the chairperson of ECOWAS said the protocols provide that any ascension to power must be through a free, fair and transparent election, in addition, any unconstitutional change is prohibited as well as any undemocratic method of gaining or retaining power.

He added that the protocol also states that there should be zero tolerance for power obtained or maintained by unconstitutional means; the Armed Forces must be apolitical and must be under the command of legally constituted authority and that no serving member of the Armed Forces may seek to run for elected political office.

“The happenings in the region tell us that not everybody has accepted democracy as the preferred mode of governance. We still have some work to do to convince such people that we are all safer under democracies,” Akufo-Addo was quoted by asaaseradio.

“The resurgence of coup d’etat in our region is in direct violation of our democratic tenets and represents a threat to peace, security and stability in West Africa,” he added.