Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has cautioned President Nana Akufo-Addo not to deploy Ghanaian soldiers to Niger as part of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) military intervention.
According to him, the proposed military intervention by ECOWAS to restore democracy in Niger is ‘ill-considered’ and ‘useless’.
Speaking in an interview on Asempa FMs Ekosiisen on Wednesday, August 9, the NDC Chairman said that Ghanaians should not allow the deployment of any soldier to participate in the military exercise.
The Niger coup that they say Ghana should deploy military personnel – I’m telling President Nana Akufo-Addo and the entire Ghanaian populace that we should not participate in this useless exercise and play with the lives of our soldiers.
They should not take any Ghanaian soldier to participate in the military exercise in Niger because it’s a completely useless exercise, he stressed.
Was ECOWAS not in West Africa and aware of the happenings that led to the coup d’etat in Niger? If a civilian subverts the will of the people, is that not a coup d’état? The fact that you were elected through election does not mean anything, so if you subvert the will of the people, that is a coup d’état. So if a soldier pulls a gun and stages a coup, there’s no difference between you and him, the NDC Chairman said.
Mr Nketia’s assertion comes after President Akufo-Addo agreed to a collective decision by ECOWAS to deploy military troops to restore constitutional order in Niger.
The military intervention also seeks to reinstate the democratically elected President, Mohamed Bazoum who was ousted by the presidential guards.
Following this, President Akufo-Addo on Thursday joined other West-African leaders in Abuja, Nigeria to discuss the crisis in Niger.
The meeting will also address the decision of whether to use military force or diplomacy to restore democracy in Niger.
But there are no easy options for ECOWAS in the impoverished country already battling Islamist insurgents.
In a new twist to the approach, ECOWAS leaders rose from their meeting with a preference for a diplomatic and political resolution aimed at restoring Niger’s elected but ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
It said a military intervention would be a “last option”, should the junta remain defiant.
The bloc had already given the coup plotters a week to reinstate the elected president or face the possibility of military intervention.
However, the deadline passed on Sunday, August 6 with no change to the situation.
On the back of this, the presidential guards who seized power in Niger have shrugged off diplomatic and economic pressure.
Also, some neighbouring countries including Mali are now siding with Niger’s generals.
—Myjoyonline.com
