Use your influence to bring back Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger …ECOWAS President appeals to President Akufo-Addo

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has appealed to President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to lead the charge in getting the three countries that had indicated their withdrawal from the community to rescind their decision.

The appeal was made when the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray called on the President at the Jubilee House in Accra on Monday.

The visit was to brief President Akufo-Addo, who is also the ECOWAS Champion on Counter Terrorism, about current happenings in the area of security in the sub-region and also seek his wise counsel on the way forward in dealing with insecurity and terrorist activities in the sub-region.

Dr Touray was accompanied by the Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Special Envoy for Counter Terrorism, Ambassador Baba Kamara and the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Accra, Ambassador Baba Gana Wakil.

According to Dr Touray, their exit would also threaten governments in the sub-region because individual who engaged in activities that were unconstitutional could get ready support from these countries.

“This is why it is important for us to see how best you can lead our effort from the counter terrorism angle to bring back these countries into ECOWAS. They are the main epicentres of terrorism and really the region cannot fight terrorism without them being within the regional space,” he said.

Dr Touray explained that beyond providing leadership to get the three countries to rescind their decision, the Commission would also require the guidance of President Akufo-Addo on how to integrate the various initiatives within the ECOWAS plan of action.

Dr Touray commended President Akufo-Addo for his leadership in maintaining peace and security in Ghana, adding that “We would like to salute your leadership because we have seen that Ghana under your leadership has been spared and I don’t think that is by chance. We thought that as ECOWAS commission we should salute your leadership in ensuring that Ghana has taken steps to avert terrorist activities, terrorist events,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo on his part called for consensus and a clear policy direction by heads of state in the sub-region.

He said there was the need for the community to agree on a strategy in the future if it intended to make any meaningful impact in solving issues of insecurity and terrorism in the region.

President Akufo-Addo explained that Ghana alone could not lead the charge on security matters in the region, unless the entire bloc work collectively.

The delegation led by the Vice President for International Affairs at IU, Hilary Kahn, was in the country to deepen partnership with the University of Ghana as part of its global engagement strategy.

Dr Kahn said the IU was delighted to be associated with the University of Ghana, and expressed the hope that the collaboration would inure to the benefit of the two countries, especially in the area of human resource development.

BY CLIFF EKUFUL