Sanctions rather affect the livelihood of ordinary citizens – Dr Antwi-Danso
Mali and Guinea still under military leadership despite ECOWAS sanctions
The Dean at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso, has urged ECOWAS to help coup countries set up workable constitutions rather than sanctioning them.
According to Dr Antwi-Danso, ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) sanctioning countries that have experienced coups yield no results.
Speaking on Asaase Radio’s Breakfast Show on January 26, 2021, the security expert said recent sanctions on Mali and Guinea, including the suspension of membership of ECOWAS, has not led to any beneficial outcome.
“For example, the ECOWAS sanction, …how is the implementation helping to solve the unconstitutional change of government. In those protocols I am telling you about, there is very little about civilians who disobey their constitution.”
“So, the way forward for me is that when these things happen, ECOWAS must help those countries to step up and get a workable constitution which will help the country, rather than insipid sanctions which do not work,” he was quoted by asaaseradio as saying.
Dr Antwi-Danso added that these sanctions rather made the lives of ordinary citizens difficult.
“Because in Mali, in Guinea, Burkina Faso and elsewhere, when you press so hard with your punishment, the people suffer, and the country loses. If the junta feels that they are empty, they will be repressive… so we must look at these things,” the international relations expert said.
Mali and Guinea are still under military leadership despite the suspension of the two countries from ECOWAS and sanctions against the coup makers.
Dean, Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso