President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says ECOWAS is reviewing its protocols on democracy and good governance to prevent a future occurrence of the recent political upheavals in Mali and Guinea.
He said the review would prevent political leaders in the sub-region from maneuvering their way to maintain power beyond the requirements of their respective constitutions.
Military insurgents in Mali and Guinea have overthrown their respective governments for amending their constitutions to extend their mandates.
ECOWAS, Chaired by President Akufo-Addo, has, as a result, suspended the membership of the two countries pending the restoration of democratic rule.
Speaking at a high-level Parliamentary Seminar at Winneba in the Central Region yesterday, President Akufo-Addo said ECOWAS was amending its protocols in line with the recent happenings in Mali and Guinea.
He said although the overthrow of any constitutionally elected government was condemnable, political maneuverings by leaders to stay in power beyond constitutional requirements should also not be countenanced.
When political leaders amend laws to extend their mandates, he said “the marriage between the elected and electorates becomes forced, environment becomes toxic and their mandate becomes precarious.”
President Akufo-Addo called on the ECOWAS Parliament to contribute to the process of reviewing the protocols on democracy and good governance to prevent a future occurrence of the situations in Guinea and Mali.
President Akufo-Addo commended the ECOWAS Parliament for organising the seminar, which discussed the two decades of democratic elections in ECOWAS member states and assessed the achievements, challenges and the way forward.
He said seminar, which was held in the wake of the recent happenings in Guinea and Mali, demonstrated the vision and courage of the Parliament as well as its commitment to search for solutions to consolidate the growth of democracy in the region.
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph OseiWusu, the Member of Parliament for Efutu and leader of Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, Alexander AfenyoMarkin, also gave addresses at the seminar.
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa spoke on the country’s 2020 election and described it as free, fair, credible, and a model for other countries on the sub-region.
The Paramount Chief of the Effutu Traditional Area, Neenyi Ghartey VII, who led a delegation of chiefs and elders to the Seminar, also addressed the participants.
FROM YAW KYEI, WINNEBA
