The Dean of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), Dr. Vladimir Antwi-Danso, has detailed what he says is the greatest threat to democracy in Africa.

He explained that while the ballot is a depiction of what democracy is, there are loopholes between them and which should be carefully looked at.

Speaking to Etsey Atisu on The Lowdown on GhanaWeb TV, Dr. Antwi-Danso said that the role of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in all of this is problematic, creating a sense of dormancy in between ballots.

“The behaviour of ECOWAS answers this question, that they believe that once a person has been voted, we must wait until the next ballot. I have always said and I will reiterate it one thousand times: the ballot does not stop the bullet. If we think democracy is the ballot and in between the ballots, any head of state can behave anyway he wants, we should be very careful.

“That is where democracy hiccups; in between ballots and that is where the bullet can set in at any time and we must guard against that. The greatest risk to democracy is when, after the ballot, then we go to sleep…” he stated.

The security expert was responding to questions on Ghana’s status in the face of the threats that have been threatening the West African region in recent years.

The latest countries to join the list of coup-inflicted nations are Niger and Gabon.

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