Seek parliamentary approval before committing troops to ECOWAS – Kpebu tells govt

Martin Kpebu, a private attorney, has advised the Ghanaian government to seek parliamentary sanction prior to sending troops to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to deal with the coup in Niger.

Kpebu stated that Ghanaian soldiers would not depart the country absent legislative authorization.

"Until parliament approves it, Ghanaian soldiers will not leave Ghana," said President Akufo-Addo.

Prior to Kpebu's presentation, James Agalga, Ranking Member of the Ghanaian Parliament's Defence and Interior Committee, stated that the committee is concerned about whether or not the government of Ghana can contribute troops to ECOWAS to address the situation in Niger without parliamentary approval.

Due to the security-sensitive nature of the discussions held, he refrained from commenting further on the specifics of the committee's meetings.

"If Ghana is required to contribute troops, how will we fund them and with what resources?" Do you now comprehend why it must be brought before the Parliament?"

He added, "There is no provision in the constitution requiring the government to address Parliament, but the spirit of the document requires that before you commit the relatives of people to a war in which they could die, you must obtain the consent of the people...through their representatives in the national assembly." We must be honest and do what is proper.

"Sanctions are sufficient; the United Nations has already criticized the sanctions' components," the representative for Builsa North added.

According to Dr. Abdul Fatau Musa, the Commissioner for Political, Peace, and Security of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the junta in Niger is playing a cat-and-mouse game with the community.

He has nonetheless guaranteed that democratic rule will be restored in Niger by any means necessary.

Dr. Fatau emphasized that constitutional order will be restored by all available methods.

"If push comes to shove, we are going into Niger with our machinery, we are not going to beg for alms," he said at an extraordinary meeting of army chiefs of several West African states held in Accra on Thursday and Friday to discuss the deployment of soldiers to Niger to restore constitutional order.

The coup in Niger necessitated a meeting of West African army chiefs in Accra, which began on Thursday, August 17 and is anticipated to conclude today, Friday, August 18, in an effort to restore constitutional democracy in that country.

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

The West African bloc initially issued a seven-day ultimatum to the military junta commanded by General Abdourahamane Tchiani to reinstate Mohamed Bazoum as president.

After the expiration of the ultimatum, the Authority decided on Thursday, August 10 in Abuja, Nigeria to investigate other options, including an intervention by a force on standby.

On the first day of the meeting, Ghana's Minister of Defence Dominic Nitiwul urged the army chiefs to remain loyal to their respective heads of state and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as steps are taken to restore democracy in Niger.

He requested that the army commanders send a message to the world that coup makers no longer enjoy the support of the people.

He stated, "Your presence alone sends a powerful message to the world that you are united in carrying out the directive of the heads of state and government of ECOWAS, and that after today's and tomorrow's meeting, you will implement a plan to ensure that a standby force is activated and democracy is restored in Niger.

"If Presidential guards in Guinea and Niger kidnap their respective presidents, no one is safe in West Africa." I urge you, therefore, to continue to be faithful to heads of state, to continue to be loyal to Ecowas directives, and to demonstrate that coup d'états no longer enjoy the support of our people.

"Yes, in a democracy people can agree to disagree, but the vast majority of our people in West Africa are with you; the vast majority of our people in West Africa do not want to be under the current difficulties we are experiencing."