Guinea’s coup a caution to African leaders - Governance Expert

A Governance Expert, Professor Emmanuel Osei Asiamah, says the overthrow of Guinean President, Mr Alpha Conde, should caution all African Leaders or Heads of State.

Special forces soldiers announced on TV that they had ousted Guinea's long-serving President Alpha Conde, telling the West African nation they had dissolved its government and constitution and closed its land and air borders.

"We have dissolved government and institutions," an unidentified soldier said on state television, draped in Guinea's national flag and surrounded by eight other armed soldiers.

"We are going to rewrite a constitution together," he added.

The soldiers, who detained President Conde on Sunday morning after hours of heavy gunfire in the capital, said he was not harmed, his wellbeing was guaranteed, and he had been given access to his doctors.

They said regional governors were replaced by military commanders, and outgoing ministers and heads of institutions were invited to a meeting on Monday morning in parliament.

Speaking on Atinka TV's morning show, Ghana Nie with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Professor Emmanuel Osei Asiamah said the people were very much aggrieved not only because of the economic hardship of the country but the fact that the constitution was changed by Alpha Conde.

He also noted that the people suspected a foul play after Alpha Conde won the election for the third time, hence the coup.

"If you read about what made the coup successful, it is because the people were seriously aggrieved, not only on the fact that the economic situation in Guinea is so tight but it was because the constitution was changed", Professor Emmanuel Osei Asiamah said.

The Governance Expert asserted that being an outspoken person in opposition, the people had so much faith in Alpha Conde, but they became disappointed when he ruled for the first and second term.

He continued that, "Probably Alpha Conde thought his third term would enable him to do something better, and so he changed the constitution for a third term."

"If you put all these together, you can tell that the people were really aggrieved, and so it is not surprising that the people who were closer to him did that to him, leading to a successful coup," he added.

Professor Emmanuel Osei Asiamah, therefore, stated that "We need to learn something from it; we should not say it cannot happen here."

Meanwhile, he was of the strong belief that such a coup could not happen in Ghana, saying that, "It is difficult in Ghana because Ghanaians have come to accept the enjoyment in democracy. When you look at the NPP or NDC or whatever, we love the country."