The Chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee of the Parliament of Ghana, Kennedy Agyapong, has declared his support for deploying Ghanaian soldiers to oust the new military leadership of Niger as part of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) stand-by force.

According to him, it is an obligation for Ghana, one of the most powerful countries in ECOWAS, to adhere to a decision taken by the bloc, 3news.com reports.

Ken Agyapong, flagbearer hopeful of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), added that military action in Niger is necessary to deter coup-makers from democratically elected governments in future.

“We have an obligation as ECOWAS countries and you cannot run away from it … should serve as a deterrent because coups d’etat is becoming rampant in ECOWAS. So, we should use Niger to serve as a deterrent and say, anybody who tries again, ECOWAS will come after them and this is not the first time.

“The second most important country in West Africa is Ghana. I’ve been an Ecowas member [of Parliament] before so it is an obligation,” he is quoted to have said.

Agyapong, who is the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, added that coups are never an option because they would lead to the violation of the rights of the citizenry.

“They will dissolve Parliament, they will arrest journalists, check all the coups. So, the security of this county is very very important and no matter the amount of money prevention is better than cure. Prevention will not cost you as much as you are curing it.”

Background:

The Authority of Heads of State and Governments of the Economic Community of West Africa State (ECOWAS) ordered the deployment of a standby force to Niger.

ECOWAS leaders gave the directive to the President of the Commission at Extraordinary Session in Abuja, Nigeria on August 10, 2023.

The Extraordinary Summit was convened as a sequel to the recent one held on 30th July 2023, following what ECOWAS describes as the illegal detention of President Mohamed Bazoum by the members of the Presidential Guard of the Republic of Niger on July 26, 2023.

The communique issued by the Authority reiterates its strong condemnation of the attempted coup d’etat and the continued illegal detention of President Mohammed Bazoam, his family, and members of his government.

Meanwhile, the military juntas in Burkina Faso and Mali have said that any forcible attempt to restore President Mohamed Bazoum in neighbouring Niger will be seen as a declaration of war on them.

Many security experts have warned of disastrous consequences should the bloc go on with its decision to send troops to Niger.

Meanwhile, the heads of the Ghana Armed Forces and other security agencies were summoned by the Defence and Interior Committee of parliament to brief them on the president's supposed order.

Present at the meeting were the leaderships of the Ghana Armed Forces, the National Security, the Minister for Defence, the Minister for Interior, and the leadership of the Ghana Police Service, among others.

The report indicated some of the issues that were discussed border on the constitutionality of Akufo-Addo’s decision to contribute troops to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) stand-by force.

It was also said in the report that one of the main Articles of the 1992 Constitution that was discussed was Article 40, which looks obligation of Ghana to international treaties and bodies.

BAI/NOQ

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