Accra-Ghana, Aug.14, GNA – Mr David Agbee, Executive Director, Ghana Institute of Governance and Security, has described the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) consideration of the use of force to restore democracy in Niger as an “expensive joke”.
He said the use of force would come with dire consequences to member states and urged ECOWAS to explore other diplomatic means to resolve the issue.
Mr AGBEE said this on Saturday during a discussion on an Accra-based television station.
On July 26, officers of the presidential guard in Niger ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
The commander of the elite unit, Abdourahamane Tchiani, subsequently appointed himself the new ruler.
In the “coup belt” of the Sahel region, Niger had been the exception to the rule, with its democratic government representing one of the last strategic partners of the West in the fight against Islamic terrorists in the region.
The international community has condemned the coup and pushing the coup leaders to restore order and hand back power to Bazoum.
ECOWAS held series of meetings to discuss further action against the junta in Niger and issued an ultimatum against the coup leaders, which expired over the weekend.
They also threatened military intervention against the country.
“The use of force against Niger will bring dire repercussions on ECOWAS States, which cannot be handled… ”
He said the various coup d’etats happening in the region indicated that something was lacking within the ECOWAS.
Mr Agbee said the coups were also a means through, which the citizens were communicating their displeasure towards political leaders.
“They are just occupying political space, but the kind of leadership that will drive change isn’t there, hence our suffering. They are lacking the required knowledge to make the reason behind the formation of ECOWAS be realised,” he said.
Demonstrators took to the streets of Niger’s capital Niamey in a show of support for the country’s new leadership, weeks after a military coup in the West African country.
People rallied on the streets of Niamey to signal their support for de facto president Abdourahmane Tchiani and his junta.
The demonstrations followed a call by civil society associations, according to reports.
Mr Ebenezer Nartey, a former Member of Parliament, Ablekuma Central, expressed doubts as to how adequately ECOWAS was prepared to carry out its threat of deploying military troops to Niger.
“It’ll be difficult for ECOWAS to mobilise enough military to face the Niger troops. ECOWAS need to rethink their decision to use force on Niger and have a proper negotiation, otherwise it can lead to many problems,” he said.
Mr Sam P. Yalley, a former High Commissioner to India, said no Ghanaian soldier deserved to die because of the Niger coup and questioned Ghana’s financial preparedness to partake in such a move.
“If African Presidents had behaved properly, would they be deposed? As a president, your best form of guard is good governance and not soldiers. Does Ghana even have the budget to deploy troops? It is high time the President told other African leaders to do the right thing.”
