Niger: Broke Country ‘Beating War Drums’ – Omane Boamah On Ghana’s Support To ECOWAS

Former Minister of Communications Dr Edward Omane Boamah

Former Minister of Communications Dr Edward Omane Boamah has said any decision by the government of Ghana to support the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with troops to tackle the coup situation in Niger will show that the sufferings of Ghanaians are because of poor priorities of the government.

Ghana’s Parliament is reported to have thrown its weight behind a military intervention of a combined force in Niger.

It is recalled that the Commissioner for Political, Peace and Security of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Dr Abdul Fatau Musa stated that by all means, democratic rule would be restored in Niger.

“By all means available, constitutional order will be restored,” Dr Fatau stressed.

“If push comes to shove, we are going into Niger with our machinery, we are not going to beg for alms,” he said at the extraordinary meeting ongoing in Accra today Thursday and Friday for army chiefs of some West African states over sending troops to Niger to restore constitutional order.

The coup in Niger necessitated West African army chiefs to hold a crunch meeting in Accra, which started Thursday, August 17 and ended Friday, August 18, to find ways to restore constitutional democracy in that country.

The meeting followed a decision by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States to activate a standby force in the crisis-hit West African nation.

The West African bloc had initially given the military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani a seven-day ultimatum to reinstate Mohamed Bazoum as President.

After the ultimatum elapsed, the Authority decided on Thursday, August 10 in Abuja, Nigeria to explore other options including an intervention by stand-by force.

During day one of the meeting, Ghana’s Minister of Defence Dominic Nitiwul told the army chiefs to be loyal to their heads of state and also to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as measures are put in place to restore democracy in Niger.

He asked the army chiefs to send a signal to the world that the days that coup makers enjoyed the support of the people are over.

He said “your presence alone sounds and gives me a powerful message to the world that you are united in carrying out the directive of the heads of state and governments of ECOWAS and that after today and tomorrow’s meeting, you will put in place a plan to ensure that a standby force is activated and that democracy will be restored in Niger.

“If Presidential guards in Guinea and Niger take hostage of their president, nobody in West Africa is safe. That is why I urge you to continue to be loyal to heads of state, I urge you, to continue to be loyal to Ecowas directives and to give effects that the days that coup d’etats enjoy the support of our people are over.

“Yes, in a democracy people will agree to disagree, but the vast majority of our people in West Africa are with you, the vast majority of the people of West Africa do not want to be under the difficulties that we are facing today.”

In a tweet, Dr Omane Boamah said “Broke country beating war drums! This should tell Ghanaians our suffering is due to poor priorities; and that the government can find the money if…”