The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has expressed its backing for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s effort to launch Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), a task force led by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, aimed at retrieving misappropriated state assets.
Madam Nana Akosua Frimpomaa Kumankumah, the CPP’s 2024 flagbearer, praised the ORAL initiative, calling it a positive step by President John Dramani Mahama’s administration to address the misuse of state resources over the years.
During her appearance on Accra-based CTV’s “OMAN GHANA NKUSUO” morning show on Monday, January 20, 2025, co-hosted by Obaapa Yaa Titi and Odehyeeba Kofi Essuman, Kumankumah commended the task force’s chairman for his dedicated efforts and urged him to extend the project’s reach to include the recovery of assets taken following the 1966 coup that overthrew Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s CPP government.
Kumankumah highlighted that several CPP properties were seized after the coup, including the Ministry of Information building in Accra, the CPP’s Brong Ahafo Regional Office in Sunyani, and the CPP’s Central Regional Office in Cape Coast, which now houses the Ghana Education Service.
She stressed that recovering these assets would help address the historical injustice faced by the party and contribute to restoring political and economic fairness.
While showing support for the initiative, Kumankumah also issued a warning to NDC appointees, noting that ORAL would serve as a measure of accountability for future governments.
She cautioned against any misuse of public funds, emphasizing that future generations would judge leaders by their actions in office.
The CPP’s endorsement of ORAL is seen as an important step in supporting the recovery of national assets and promoting transparency and accountability in governance.
Former Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Allotey Jacobs, has accused Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, of orchestrating a “Parliamentary coup d’état” by declaring four parliamentary seats vacant.
His remarks came during an interview on Peace FM on Wednesday, October 23, where he described the Speaker’s actions as unconstitutional and a threat to Ghana’s democratic stability.
The ongoing standoff, involving two New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs, one NDC MP, and one independent MP, has raised concerns about its impact on the nation’s democratic processes. Jacobs, who is now a social commentator and activist, warned that such defiance undermines the rule of law and could have serious consequences for the country’s political stability.
“We were just there and we heard that they had invoked a certain article to declare four constituencies vacant but for me, my interpretation of what happened in Parliament in the declaration of four seats as vacant was an act of parliamentary coup d’état led by Lieutenant General Sumana Bagbin,” Jacobs remarked.
He urged all parties involved to respect the judicial process and prevent further escalation of tensions.
Mr Jacobs’ assertion follows the controversy that erupted after Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, invoked Article 97(1)(g) of the 1992 Constitution on October 15, 2024, raising questions about the status of four Members of Parliament (MPs).
Despite the Supreme Court’s decision to stay Bagbin’s ruling, NDC MPs have vowed to ignore the court’s directives, choosing instead to follow Bagbin’s lead.
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has responded to comments made by Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), who suggested that there is a risk of a military coup in Ghana if the upcoming general election turns violent.
In a press release shared with GhanaWeb, the military dismissed the claim that its involvement in supporting the Ghana Police Service during potential election-related violence would constitute a coup.
GAF clarified that it would only assist the police if requested, and this action does not signify any intention to overthrow the government.
“Dr Akwetey is alleged to have said GAF has threatened to take over control of the country if elections in the country turn out violent beyond the control of the Ghana Police Service at press conferences held in 2016 and 2020. We wish to draw the attention of the public that GAF will only support the Ghana Police when the latter requests assistance and that does not constitute an overthrow of a government,” part of the release which was issued by Brigadier General E. Aggrey-Quashie, the Director General Public Relations of GFA on August 23, 2024, reads.
The GAF also refuted the assertion that it has ever publicly announced intentions to take control of the country in the event of election-related violence.
The military reaffirmed its stance against any coup attempt and its commitment to preventing unlawful power grabs by any individual, group, or organization, either independently or in collaboration with any security agency.
GAF urged the public to refrain from using its name to escalate political tensions as the December 2024 elections approach.
“GAF, like all peace-loving institutions and individuals, is committed to ensuring peaceful elections in December 2024. We urge all institutions and groups to avoid associating GAF with actions that could heighten political tensions,” the release concluded.
In an interview with JoyNews on August 21, 2024, Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey expressed concerns that the Ghana Armed Forces had previously threatened to intervene if election violence exceeded the control of the Ghana Police Service.
He warned that such threats could indicate a potential end to civilian rule and a military takeover.
“The Armed Forces of Ghana since 2016 have clearly and openly in press conferences threatened that if violence breaks out in the country over election disputes or whatever and the police cannot deal with it and it’s escalating or threatening, they will step in. And they said if they did so, it would be to protect the territorial integrity, our peace, and our national unity.
“That would be a coup because the police cannot deal with nationwide violence. They are not equipped for that. It’s not about parliamentary elections, it’s about presidential elections because the president is elected throughout the country. And they have said that a second time in 2020 and probably even the third time they’ve even started talking about it so early,” he said.
The IDEG boss added, “Read the papers, and you will see the threat is real in a sub-region where there is a drift towards the military or the return of military governments. And ECOWAS is facing some challenges in dealing with these issues.”
The host of Onua TV’s morning show, Maakye, Blessed Godsbrain Smart (Captain Smart), has alleged that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), is employing tactics to initiate an “artificial coup” in the country.
According to him, the ruling party will orchestrate a fake military coup in October 2024, to destabilize the country’s political stability.
“Who said Agyapedie document is fake? I played the video for J.A Kuffuor. He knew about it. The NPP has a grand agenda, what they are planning is an artificial coup d’état. I have said it. They want to use this to destabilize the system so that it will use that as a cover-up for their rots. That won’t happen. Ghanaians will make sure any soldier who will participate in this will not go scot-free,” he added.
He stated that the revelation is a wake-up call to Ghanaians to prevent the intentions of the ruling party.
Meanwhile, the former host of “The Seat Show” on Net2 TV and now with CTV, Justice Kwaku Annan, has also made similar accusations against the NPP.
According to him, this information is not only known to him but also to other journalists, whose identities he chose not to disclose.
“Any form of fake subversion that some people are trying to orchestrate just to affect the electoral process or prevent the election from happening – I want to draw your attention to it so when it happens, you are aware. I hope and pray that they don’t even venture there.
“Any fake military coup to topple this government so you use the backdoor to start the whole process, stop it.,” he said.
Fitch Solutions, a research and data firm, forecasts that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will win the upcoming December 7 general elections against the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The London-based firm has been predicting this outcome since last year, citing a recent survey where 54 percent of respondents preferred the NDC’s candidate, John Mahama, for the presidency.
Mike Kruiniger, Associate Director of Country Risk at Fitch Solutions, discussed this during the Mid-Year Review for Sub-Saharan Africa, noting that current economic conditions will significantly impact voter preferences on December 7.
He pointed out that economic management and job creation are crucial issues for voters, which could disadvantage the NPP due to recent economic difficulties.
Captain smart reveals the NPP are planning artificial C0up dètat in October eiii pic.twitter.com/kLVtElGVaO
Justice Kwaku Annan, the former host of “The Seat Show” on Net2 TV and now with CTV, has accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of employing tactics to prevent the 2024 elections from taking place on December 7, as announced by the Electoral Commission (EC).
“Any form of fake subversion that some people are trying to orchestrate just to affect the electoral process or prevent the election from happening – I want to draw your attention to it so when it happens, you are aware. I hope and pray that they don’t even venture there.
“Any fake military coup to topple this government so you use the backdoor to start the whole process, stop it.,” he said.
He claims this information is not privy to him alone but other journalists, whose identities he kept anonymous.
BREAKING NEWS: According to Kweku ANNAN and @KevinEkowTaylor Nana Akufo-Addo and his NPP apparatchiks are planning to organise a ruthless subversion of our democracy through FAKE Coup d’etal just to delay the election because JM is leading in all the polls conducted so far. NPP… pic.twitter.com/9x1geF1TVV
Research and data firm, Fitch Solutions, predicts that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will emerge victorious over the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming December 7 general elections.
The London-based firm has consistently projected this outcome since last year, citing a recent survey where 54 percent of respondents favored the NDC’s candidate, John Mahama, to win the presidential election.
Mike Kruiniger, Associate Director of Country Risk at Fitch Solutions, spoke during the Mid-Year Review for Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizing that current economic conditions will heavily influence voter decisions on December 7.
He highlighted economic management and job creation as pivotal issues for voters, potentially putting the NPP at a disadvantage due to the economic challenges the country has experienced in recent years.
“We believe that the opposition NDC has a stronger chance of winning the upcoming general elections compared to the ruling NPP. Recent polls consistently place the NDC ahead with the most recent survey showing 54 % of respondents favouring the NDC.
“In addition, multiple surveys have shown that economic management and job creation are going to be the most important issues during the election for voters which we believe will put the ruling NPP at a disadvantage given the economic challenges that the country has faced over the last couple of years.”
Furthermore, Kruiniger clarified that a potential NDC government under Mahama is expected to maintain the policy trajectory set by the current administration.
“In terms of what a government change will mean for the economy, we think that policy direction under a likely NDC government will not largely change.
“The NDC will most likely stick to Ghana’s IMF programme particularly as the party has shown commitment in the past to international agreements and obligations. So in summary, we expect policy continuation in Ghana despite a likely government change,” he stressed.
The Accra High Court has sentenced six individuals, including three soldiers, to death by hanging for their involvement in a plot to overthrow the incumbent government.
The convicted individuals are Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah, Johannes Zikpi, Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Ali Solomon, Corporal Sylvester Akankpewon, and Warrant Officer Class Two (WOII) Esther Saan Dekuwine.
The court, comprised of Justices of the Court of Appeal Hafisata Amaleboba and Stephen Oppong, and presided over by Mrs. Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, found these individuals guilty of high treason after a detailed trial. The prosecution presented evidence that demonstrated their active participation in planning and preparing for the coup.
Conversely, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr. Benjamin Agordzo, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, and Corporal Seidu Abubakar were acquitted and discharged after the court concluded that the prosecution failed to prove their involvement beyond a reasonable doubt.
ACP Dr. Agordzo and Colonel Gameli had faced charges of abetment of crime related to high treason, while Corporal Seidu Abubakar was charged with conspiracy to commit high treason. All three denied the charges.
The court ruled that ACP Dr. Agordzo was not involved in the executive WhatsApp group of the Take Action Ghana (TAG) organization, which was central to the coup plot.
The GHC2,000 he gave to the late Dr. Mac-Palm, the alleged mastermind of the plot, was intended for TAG’s medical outreach and not for the overthrow of the government. Similarly, phrases like “big bang” and “Arab Spring” used by Agordzo were found to be taken out of context and did not imply violent intent.
In Colonel Gameli’s case, despite his recorded knowledge of Dr. Mac-Palm’s activities, there was no sufficient evidence presented to the court to prove his involvement in the coup attempt. Likewise, there was no conclusive evidence against Corporal Abubakar to support the charge of conspiracy to commit high treason.
However, the court found substantial evidence against the six convicted individuals. Bright Alan Debrah was identified as a key recruiter for the coup, tasked by Dr. Mac-Palm with enlisting others and organizing meetings to discuss weapon acquisition and other logistics.
He was also captured in videos discussing the use of improvised explosive devices on key government officials during a function.
Donya Kafui was involved in the manufacturing of the locally made weapons and explosives, while Johannes Zikpi was convicted based on his confession statement regarding his role in securing communication gadgets to disrupt radio and telecommunication networks.
WOII Esther Saan Dekuwine, a TAG executive, attended meetings and facilitated the plot by recruiting soldiers, seeking unpaid allowances for them, and showing awareness of the coup plans.
LAC Ali Solomon and Corporal Sylvester Akankpewon were both active participants in the meetings and planning sessions, discussing roadblocks, routes, and allowances for participants.
The court’s nearly four-hour judgment highlighted the grave nature of the plot and the meticulous planning involved. The convicted individuals were swiftly taken away under heavy security to await their punishment.
The prosecution team, led by Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame and supported by Mrs. Yvonne Attakorah Obuobisa, Director of Public Prosecution, and Mr. Alfred Tuah, Deputy Attorney General, presented a strong case with evidence including improvised explosive devices, locally made guns, maps of targets, and WhatsApp conversations detailing the plot.
This case marks the first high treason trial in Ghana since the overthrow of the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1966. The 1992 Constitution of Ghana strictly prohibits attempts to overthrow the government, making such actions punishable by death. Despite this, the death penalty has not been carried out since the constitution’s inception.
Bolivian authorities have arrested General Juan José Zúñiga, the leader of an apparent coup attempt, just hours after soldiers stormed the presidential palace in La Paz.
The dramatic events unfolded as hundreds of troops and armored vehicles positioned themselves on Murillo Square, home to key government buildings. An armored vehicle breached the main gate of the presidential palace, allowing soldiers to enter, but they later withdrew.
Gen Zúñiga, who led the rebellion, claimed his goal was to “restructure democracy” and expressed conditional respect for President Luis Arce. However, he was swiftly detained moments after telling reporters that the military intervened at the president’s behest.
Bolivia coup attempt reportedly thwarted as citizens outnumber National Police and Military forcing them to withdraw from the Presidential Palace. pic.twitter.com/bFiiq8jkSc
This statement came after Zúñiga was removed from his position on Tuesday for making inflammatory comments about former president Evo Morales during a recent interview.
President Arce condemned the coup attempt, urging the public to “organize and mobilize in favor of democracy.”
In a televised address from within the presidential palace, he stated, “We cannot allow once again coup attempts to take Bolivian lives.” His call to action resonated, as pro-democracy demonstrators took to the streets in support of the government.
In a dramatic confrontation captured on camera, President Arce was seen ordering Gen Zúñiga to stand down and vacate his role.
He also announced the appointment of new military commanders, confirming Zúñiga’s dismissal following his criticism of Mr. Morales.
Evo Morales, who also denounced the coup attempt, called for criminal charges against Zúñiga and his “accomplices.”
⚡️🇧🇴 BREAKING:
A failed coup attempt in Bolivia by US-backed General Juan José Zúñiga.
Bolivia, a dramatic coup attempt aimed at President Luis Arce was stopped in its tracks.
Armored vehicles smashed into the government palace, yet Arce stood strong, swiftly replacing the… pic.twitter.com/ttDuIyTY3f
The Bolivian public prosecutor’s office has initiated a criminal investigation, and Vice-Admiral Juan Arnez Salvador, head of the Bolivian Navy, has also been arrested.
The motivations behind Gen Zúñiga’s coup attempt remain unclear. He had previously declared on television that he would arrest Mr. Morales if the former president attempted to run for office again, despite Morales being barred from doing so.
Mr. Morales, who was ousted in 2019 by military leaders accusing him of election fraud, accused an “elite” of taking over the country and called the insurgents “vandals who have destroyed the country.” Shortly before his arrest, Gen Zúñiga claimed that President Arce had instructed him to deploy the armored vehicles to boost his declining popularity.
Opposition senator Andrea Barrientos echoed Zúñiga’s claims, suggesting that the economic and judicial crises prompted President Arce to stage a “self-coup.” She called for a thorough investigation, asserting, “The government has a lot of questions to answer to the people of Bolivia, and they need to explain this situation very well.”
Although Wednesday’s events appear to be a short-lived and poorly executed military uprising, the incident has left the government looking more vulnerable. There is concern that others might attempt to challenge Arce’s administration through political means rather than military force.
Soldiers took up positions outside key government buildings in La Paz. Credit – Shutterstock
Mr. Morales urged his supporters, particularly those in the indigenous coca-growers movement, to demand an end to the coup attempt. This show of popular support likely bolstered resistance to Gen Zúñiga’s plans, which included freeing political prisoners such as former leader Jeanine Áñez.
President Arce and Mr. Morales, despite internal political disagreements, united in their condemnation of the coup attempt. Before Morales’s presidency, Bolivia was one of the most politically unstable countries in the Americas. His tenure brought stability until its contentious end, and Arce’s election in 2020 followed a period of turmoil.
Regional allies, including Venezuela and Colombia, swiftly condemned the coup attempt and called for the preservation of democracy. Even Washington and Paraguay’s centre-right President Santiago Peña voiced their opposition to the military insurrection.
Human rights activist Jhanisse Vaca Daza expressed concerns that President Arce might use the coup attempt as a pretext to crack down on opposition.
She warned, “It will legitimize and give Arce’s government more power to arrest new members of the opposition who they deem may be a threat to their governance.”
Retired Captain Joel Sowu has shared astonishing revelations about a prophecy predicting the coup against former President Ignatius Kutu Acheampong in July 1978.
In an interview on the YouTube series “45 Years On: Memories of Ghana 1979” with Kafui Dey, Capt. Sowu recounted how a prophetess had warned Acheampong about an imminent betrayal from his inner circle.
“Acheampong was cocooned. When he was cocooned, then came the palace coup to happen. Because that palace coup would not have happened if he had listened,” he said.
According to Capt. Sowu, during a gathering, a prophetess delivered a chilling prophecy to Acheampong.
According to Capt. Sowu, during a gathering, a prophetess delivered a chilling prophecy to Acheampong.
“There was a woman there, that woman was a prophetess. And she was prophesying and she said (to Acheampong) that a time will come when your own people will betray you and the people around you will be part of it,” he recounted.
Despite the gravity of the prophetess’s warning, Acheampong’s associates dismissed her words.
The prophetess’s prophecy included a specific directive for Acheampong to avoid going to work on a certain day.
“The people around immediately said, ‘Oh no, there is nothing like that,’ and the prophetess told Acheampong on this day don’t go to work,” Capt. Sowu revealed.
On that fateful day, a young boy claiming to be a man of God arrived at Burma Camp with an urgent message for Acheampong.
“The people thought the small boy had smoked weed, and he [the small boy] told them that Acheampong should not leave the house,” Capt. Sowu continued.
Disregarding the boy’s warning, Acheampong left his home and, as predicted by the prophecy, never returned.
In December, Tshisekedi won the election again even though the opposition wanted a new vote because they thought the process wasn’t fair.
Six people were killed, including 3 attackers and their leader, Christian Malanga, who is against the current government. The army said they also arrested around 50 people involved in the attack.
Soldiers in military uniform fought with the guards of Vital Kamerhe, a lawmaker who is close to the president of Congo. Kamerhe’s spokesperson wrote on social media site X, saying that the guards stopped the intruders and made sure that the politician and his family were safe.
Two security guards were also murdered, Ekenge stated.
The army spokesman said Malanga was killed in a gunfight with the presidential guards.
Ekenge said on TV that the attempted government takeover was stopped by the Congolese military and police and everything is ok now. He also said that three Americans, including Malanga’s son, were involved in the plot.
The attack happened when Tshisekedi’s ruling party was already dealing with a crisis over a parliamentary election. This election was supposed to happen on Saturday but got postponed.
Footage has surfaced showing the leader of an attempted coup in theDemocratic Republic of Congo(DRC) broadcasting live on Facebook from within the presidential palace shortly before authorities killed him following the failed coup on Sunday.
In the video, verified by Reuters, Christian Malanga, named by the army as the ringleader, declares in the Lingala language: “We, the militants, are tired.
We cannot drag on with Tshisekedi.”
Reuters independently verified the location as the palace in Kinshasa by matching imagery with satellite data and archival photos.
The news agency also confirmed the date through corroborating information.
The government reported that Malanga, a Congolese politician based in the US, was killed when his forces launched an attack on the palace and the residence of Vital Kamerhe, a candidate for parliament speaker, early Sunday morning.
Approximately 50 people, including three American citizens, were arrested, according to army spokesman Sylvain Ekenge.
There is a frenzy on the X platform over a video where a US Congressman makes mention of African countries where the US is training some coup leaders.
The video in circulation shows two major US officials being probed over the safety of US soldiers in Niger. Last month, US troops left neighbouring Niger after being ordered out by the country’s junta.
To assure the congressman that all will be done to protect the US army in Niger, one of the officials, Hon. Wormuth, says she will get in touch with General Michael Langley, the head of the US Africa Command.
This did not sit well with the congressman, who then remarked, “I have talked to General Langley. He comes in here and never has any good answers. I asked him for information about how many coup leaders we had trained including Niger, Ghana, Mali and Ivory Coast and he didn’t even produce his report on time.”
Was this a slip of tongue? Or the US is really training coup leaders for Ghana?🤷🏾EBUBO BA pic.twitter.com/qw49Wew1dU
His comment, interpreted as the US training individuals who embark on coup d’etats by netizens on social media, has drawn concerns from Ghanaians.
“It wasn’t a slip of tongue. The US has always been behind all the coups and government overthrows across the world. The US is a criminal state. Africa must unite and remove all these US bases from its land. Shameless criminals. Glory to Russia and Mr Putin,” a user wrote on X.
Another wrote, “This is not a slip of tongue. It happened 2 weeks ago. Included is the transcript of the exchange. The IMA train & Equip program is no joke. It literally means train and equip men to undertake a coup.”
The US is still engaged with Niger and Chad, despite withdrawing troops from the countries, the head of the US Africa Command has told the BBC.
US troops left Chad after the country’s military leaders raised concerns over their presence ahead of the 6 May elections.
Gen Michael Langley told the BBC it was a “temporary repositioning” of troops.
Russian military instructors have arrived in Niger as part of a new agreement with the military leaders.
Several other military-led countries in the Sahel region have also recently strengthened ties with Russia and cut them with France, the former colonial power, as they try to fight an Islamist insurgency in the region.
The Sahel region is considered the new global epicentre of the Islamic State group. Gen Langley said that violent extremist organisations were the biggest threat to Africa’s stability.
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael E. Langley meets Akufo-Addo
His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo, the President of the Republic of Ghana and his cabinet met with U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Virginia E. Palmer and U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael E. Langley, Commander, U.S. Africa Command, at the Presidential residence, Jubilee House, in Accra, Ghana, on April 30, 2024.
U.S. Africa Command along with U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa are participating in African Maritime Forces Summit and Naval Infantry Leadership Symposium – Africa (AMFS/NILS-A). AMFS and NILS-A is a strategic-level forum designed to address transnational maritime security challenges in African waters, bringing together partner nations with marine forces and naval infantry to develop interoperability, crisis response capabilities, and foster relationships that will improve Africa’s maritime domain security.
He pointed to the increasing threat of violent extremism and political instability, which he attributed in part to migration.
“Such developments are deflecting the attention of the community away from deeper and more meaningful regional integration and economic development that are anchored on the protocol relating to the free movement of persons and the right of residence and establishment,” he said.
During his address, President Akufo-Addo urged heads of state in the ECOWAS Region to collaborate closely to tackle the intricate challenges posed by migration trends.
“Together my fellow ECOWAS counterparts are with seeking ways to find an amicable solutions to the challenge of integration. The region is at the crossroads and our actions will determine the trajectory that will set the path of prosperity or destruction for our citizens.”
According to him, this collaborative effort will help harness the potential of migrants and prevent any threats to the hard-won peace and security in Africa. The event brought together top experts in migration, security, and conflict resolution to discuss crucial issues and seek solutions.
In the last four years alone, there have been seven military coups in West and Central Africa. Four of the countries experiencing coups are members of ECOWAS, a regional organization set up to promote stability and cooperation.
In August 2020, a group of Mali’s colonels led a coup against President Ibrahim Boubacar Kaita. In 2021, the military led a second coup against the interim president Colonel Bah Ndaw. Guinea experienced a coup in 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022, and most recently, Niger met the same fate when General Abdourahmane Tchiani seized power in July. Outside of West Africa, Chad and Sudan also experienced military coups in 2021.
Ever since the early days of their independence from European colonial rule West African countries have faced political and economic tensions that often threatened their progress and stability. The Economic Community of Western African States, known as ECOWAS, was established in 1975 as a response to these challenges. Its current members are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr. Benjamin Agordzo, who was recently acquitted in the high-profile coup plot case has revealed that discussions on a WhatsApp platform led to the charges against him and other convicted alleged coup plotters.
In an interview on GhanaWeb TV’s ‘The Lowdown’, ACP Agordzo explained that while he wasn’t part of the ‘Executive Platform,’ he accessed the messages through court disclosures.
He maintained that, in his opinion, the messages did not suggest a coup plot unless there was additional information the court used to convict the alleged plotters.
Mr Agordzo highlighted a member on the platform who suggested the coup and was removed by Dr. Mac-Palm, the accused leader who passed away in 2023.
Surprisingly, the person suggesting the coup has not been arrested and is reportedly in the United States.
“They (the security agencies) alleged that a particular WhatsApp platform, called the ‘Executive Platform’, was where this whole issue was discussed. With the benefit of disclosures, I also had copies of whatever that platform contained. And I can tell you on authority without prejudice to whatever the court has decided… you observed that there was a certain man, who had tried to say something in connection with what they have alleged with the planning.
“And I, the BNI people and everybody who read saw that Dr Mac-Palm was opposed to that person and as a result, he took him (the man) out of that platform. They had a whole quarrel, misunderstanding between them because of what the man said which was also printed and is with the BNI,” he told the host of ‘The Lowdown’ programme, Daniel Oduro.
The retired police officer added, “… the person who suggested that (the coup) up to now we don’t know the person. They could not arrest the person. One lawyer asked about that in court and they said they are making efforts to that effect to get him. The person who made those suggestions has not been arrested. Who is that person? Was he planted on the platform?… where is he? They say he is in the United States,” he explained.
He questioned the validity of the security apparatus’s claims, arguing that if the WhatsApp messages were truly indicative of a coup plot, efforts should have been made to bring back the person who suggested it from the United States in collaboration with US security authorities.
Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Agordzo, recently acquitted and discharged in a high-profile coup plot case, has provided clarification regarding his appearance in police uniform during court proceedings, stating that it was due to circumstances beyond his control.
Agordzo’s decision to appear in court wearing police uniform sparked criticism from many Ghanaians, who accused him of disrespecting the Ghana Police Service. However, in an interview on Tuesday, February 7, 2024, the retired police officer revealed that his attire was a result of the treatment he received while in custody of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) (formerly BNI).
According to Agordzo, he was directed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, to report to the NIB while he was in his police uniform. Upon arrival, he was stripped of his uniform by NIB officers who then detained him. When informed of his court appearance, he was provided only with the same police uniform to wear.
Recalling the events, Agordzo explained, “They (the BNI officers) actually stripped the police uniform together with the cap and everything and then put me in custody… On Wednesday morning, they came and told me that we’re going to court, so I should prepare. In their full glare, I prepared. There were no other clothes to wear. The uniform that I was wearing and brought in was the only thing available, so I wore it.”
Agordzo emphasized that he meant no disrespect to the police and suggested that the public’s criticism stemmed from misinformation. He attributed the situation to the unprofessional conduct of the NIB officers involved in his detainment, suggesting they may have acted hastily or without proper consideration.
“It was the unprofessional conduct of the BNI or whoever was in charge. Maybe they didn’t know what they were doing. Maybe they were so fascinated by the fact that they had gotten me, and therefore they didn’t think through it before sending me to court,” Agordzo stated.
The explanation provided by Agordzo sheds light on the circumstances surrounding his appearance in police uniform and underscores the complexities of his arrest and detention amidst the coup plot case.
The former General Secretary of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Nana Yaa Jantuah, has called for a reconsideration of the country’s death penalty, deeming death by hanging as inhumane.
Her remarks follow the recent sentencing of six individuals to death by hanging for conspiring and committing high treason on January 24, 2024.
In an interview on TV3, Nana Yaa suggested exploring alternative methods of the death penalty, such as an electric chair or lethal injection, emphasizing the need for more dignified approaches.
“It’s not humane, if they want to keep the death penalty at least they should die in some form of dignity. Hanging is not a very pleasant way to go to heaven or hell. Why can’t the national get an electric chair or lethal injection? I know most people on death row are not even killed but conditions in the prison are bad,” she said.
“I was disturbed in the night especially when I saw the woman among them. I wanted women to petition the President so that they should be exempted from the penalty. It came as a shock to me, Women normally don’t get involved in these things. I later found out she was highly involved in the matter, how they were manufacturing bombs and stocking guns and that she was going to be the chief of staff,” she mentioned.
She expressed concern over the unpleasant nature of death by hanging and urged the nation to consider humane alternatives.
Expressing her distress, Nana Yaa particularly highlighted the involvement of a woman, Warrant Officer Class Two Esther Saan Dekuwine, among the accused.
She urged women to petition the President for exemption from the penalty, citing her shock at a woman being intricately involved in manufacturing bombs and stocking guns for what was revealed to be a serious offense.
The accused also included Dr. Mac Palm (now deceased), Donya Kafui alias Ezor, Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu, Yohannes Zikpi, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, and Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon.
Legal representative for ACP Benjamin Agordzo, Martin Kpebu, has characterized his client’s trial as politically motivated.
ACP Benjamin Agordzo, along with the late Dr. Mac Palm and eight others, faced charges in 2021 related to conspiracy to commit high treason and high treason.
On January 24, 2024, the High Court acquitted ACP Benjamin Agordzo, while six others were convicted on counts of conspiracy to commit high treason and committing high treason.
During an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, Martin Kpebu asserted that the trial amounted to an assault on freedom of speech.
“It was an affront to free speech to gauge public officers not to complain about President Akufo-Addo’s misgoverning. The very Arab Spring that he complained about was the same thing the man [ACP Agordza] was complaining about. Akufo-Addo had said that Arab Spring was in Ghana; and that there was hunger, unemployment, and everything was there to show that citizens would rise up against the government so they needed to do something about it. So nobody tried President Akufo-Addo in opposition, why do you try ACP Agordzo for Arab Spring?” he asked.
ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo expressed confidence in his eventual acquittal from the outset of the legal proceedings in the coup plot case. Meanwhile, the six individuals found guilty of conspiring to commit a coup have been sentenced to death by hanging.
Background:
The charges, initiated on April 24, 2021, implicated Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, the late Chief Executive Officer of Citadel Hospital, and ACP Dr. Agordzo, along with eight others. The charges included conspiracy to high treason, abetment to high treason, and high treason.
The accused individuals, including Dr. Mac Palm (A1 – now deceased), Donya Kafui alias Ezor (A2), Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu alias Bright Alan Yeboah (A3), Yohannes Zikpi (A4), Warrant Officer Class Two Esther Saan Dekuwine (A6), Cpl Seidu Abubakar (A7), Lance Corporal Ali Solomon (A8), and Cpl Sylvester Akanpewon (A9), faced charges of conspiracy to commit high and high treason.
Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli (A5) and ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo (A10) were also charged with abetment during that period.
On January 13, 1972, the Kofi Abrefa Busia government fell victim to an army coup led by Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong within twenty-seven months.
The government was accused of economic mismanagement, and as such, 54 government officials were arrested and thrown into the Ussher Fort prison.
Among those jailed for 15 months was John Agyekum Kufuor, who was appointed Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1969 after being elected MP for Atwima Nwabiagya.
Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong (L) and Kofi Abrefa Busia (R)
According to the former president, for almost 8 weeks, they were denied contact with family.
He made this known in his tribute to his late wife, Theresa Kufuor whom he said took the burden of raising five children all by herself.
But “this angel of a woman, to my amazement, would survive the ordeal of raising five children on her own – in my absence, Aba gave birth to our fifth and last child, Kofi, as a single parent on 16 June 1972.”
He posited that Theresa Kufuor’s “strong and exceptionally disciplined personality did indeed come to the rescue of our family.”
“I could not have foreseen the crash that befell us and could not, therefore, have made any provision for our ordeal. However, Aba rose above that. With her strong, prayerful faith in God, Aba’s spirit would not and could not be broken. She survived on very little then; and she truly kept our hopes alive,” he added.
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor and late former First Lady Theresa Kufuor
The statesman, who was then in his thirties, noted that he was left with a sense of optimism that was most assuring Theresa was allowed to visit him in prison.
“I survived my incarceration of 15 months largely because of Aba. She was a woman of sacrifice, devotion, humanity and resilience,” he said.
The founder of the now-defunct UT Bank, Captain (retired) Prince Kofi Amoabeng, has pointed out that the sole positive development in Ghana under the current government is the absence of a military coup.
He emphasized that the overall situation in Ghana is currently quite challenging, and the reason for the absence of any military intervention is the perceived politicization of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Mr Amoabeng noted that successive governments, with a particular focus on the present administration led by Akufo-Addo, have successfully infused politics into all governmental institutions, including the military.
“One of the biggest changes we have in this country is that, when parties come to power, especially this government, they politicise all the institutions. It is a very dangerous thing to do, and that is why we have not been progressing.
“If you put your own people as heads, it is either they don’t know what to do or they are qualified, but they are used as stooges, so even though you know what to do, you dare not do it; you do what we say you should do because we put you there.
“…the only good thing that has come out of it is that there is no coup. No coup because the army has been politicised and therefore the heads are NPP. And in the army now, which is very sad, soldiers are polarized politically,” he said.
He added that when he was in the army, personnel were forbidden from engaging in politics, but now it has become normal.
“When I was in the army, religion and politics were the two things we never discussed. Because you were there for the state,” he said.
A three-member panel of the High Court is set to determine a date for delivering judgment in the case involving Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr. Benjamin Agordzo and eight other defendants, who are facing charges of allegedly plotting to overthrow the government.
The defense lawyers and the accused have successfully concluded their defense, while the prosecution had earlier closed its case after presenting 13 witnesses.
All parties, including prosecution and defense, have been directed to submit their written addresses by October 17, with the judgment delivery scheduled for November 22, 2023.
The case involves charges of conspiracy to commit high treason, abetment to high treason, and high treason against ACP Dr. Agordzo, Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, and eight others. Following the death of Dr. Mac-Palm, his evidence has been removed from the records.
The trial began on June 8, 2021, and the prosecution called 13 witnesses, including seven soldiers, to testify. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been granted bail.
The case centers on allegations that the accused were involved in a plot to overthrow the government. The prosecution argued that they were part of a group planning to stage demonstrations to achieve this goal and had procured weapons and explosives for this purpose.
The trial has garnered significant attention and debate.
The case has seen the involvement of numerous legal professionals, including the Attorney General’s team and defense lawyers representing the accused. The three-member panel of judges for the case is presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe.
The charges brought against the accused include the alleged possession of unregistered pistols, explosives, grenades, ammunition, and related equipment. The case has raised significant public interest and is being closely monitored.
The judgment, scheduled for November 22, 2023, will provide a crucial decision on the legal outcome of this high-profile case.
Retired Commissioner of Police (COP), George Alex Mensah, continues to assert his innocence in connection with the leaked audio recording.
In this recording, he and another senior officer were heard discussing a plot to remove the current Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.
COP Mensah maintains that the entire conversation with former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bugri Naabu, was a private discussion that did not involve any criminal activity.
“Like me and you having a conversation privately in your room or my room, then you secretly record it, you bring it out and, you will not even bring the conversation that we had out; you edited the conversation.
“You doctored it and you brought it out. So I was not afraid of anything because I knew what actually took place and I did not say anything wrong in the tape.
“I was not planning a coup in the tape; neither was I planning to go and sell cocaine or steal. No! all what I said in the tape is the truth and it’s right and as I said at the Committee, if you give me the chance I will say it here, I will say it anywhere,” he told Joy News in an interview on Monday, October 15, 2023.
In the audio, which has now become the focal point of a parliamentary committee’s investigation, COP Mensah and two other police officers are alleged to have been mobilizing political backing for the removal of the IGP.
While advocating for COP Mensah as the ideal candidate to replace Dr. Dampare, these officers portrayed him as a staunch supporter and member of the ruling New Patriotic Party, indicating that he would assist the party in furthering its objectives of retaining power in the 2024 elections.
Moreover, they questioned Dr. Dampare’s competence and accused him of having affiliations with the opposition National Democratic Congress.
When questioned about the apparent partisan nature of his actions, COP Mensah explained that he made these assertions as part of a lobbying strategy.
“Unless somebody doesn’t want to speak the truth, there is no position in this country that people don’t lobby or people don’t hold people’s hands to go and see the appointing authority. So that was not news,” he stated.
He refuted the accusation of plotting the IGP’s removal emphasising that the power to do so did not lie with him or the people captured in the tape.
The United States has officially acknowledged that a military coup took place in Niger, resulting in the suspension of over $500 million in aid.
In July, the military ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, who had been a Western ally in the fight against jihadist insurgents.
According to U.S. law, a formal designation of a coup mandates the suspension of aid. The U.S. State Department indicated that assistance to Niger would only be reinstated if the coup leaders establish a democratic government.
It is understood that Washington will maintain its troops in Niger for the time being. A U.S. official noted that these troops are no longer actively assisting Nigerien forces but will continue to monitor threats from jihadists.
Additionally, France has commenced the withdrawal of its troops from the region.
France has announced plans to initiate the withdrawal of its troops from Niger, with the process potentially beginning this week. The decision follows a diplomatic dispute between the two nations following a coup in Niger two months ago.
France initially declined to recognize the new military government in its former colony, leading to protests in the capital, Niamey. Despite a prolonged stay, France now appears eager to convey its intention to exit Niger as expeditiously as possible.
The first group to leave will be over 400 soldiers stationed near the Mali border, possibly starting the withdrawal on Thursday.
Additionally, approximately 1,000 troops are based in Niamey, where protesters have demanded their departure, claiming they failed to quell attacks by Islamist insurgents.
While the decline in terror attack-related deaths occurred in Niger last year, the extent of France’s role in achieving this while supporting Nigerien armed forces against Islamic State and al-Qaeda-linked groups remains unclear. It’s too early to determine if their departure will worsen security.
Notably, the United States maintains a drone base in Niger, and Nigerien forces are among the best-trained in the region.
However, there have been numerous insurgent attacks since the coup, and the withdrawal of foreign forces from neighboring Mali has resulted in a significant uptick in violence.
Western powers have invested millions in security aid to Niger, considering it their last ally in the region.
Former Central Regional chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Allotey Jacobs has made an interesting remarks about the national chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah
According to Allotey Jacobs, Asiedu Nketiah popularly known as General Mosquito one of the richest politicians in Ghana up to date.
“Asiedu Nketiah is a rich politician. He has monies that others don’t have so he shouldn’t sit on radio make such remarks. He is one of the richest Ghanaian politicians. By virtue of his DNA, he doesn’t grow big but he is loaded” he said on Accra based Angel FM.
Mr Allotey comments was a sharp response to earlier remarks by Asiedu Nketiah arguing that Ghana ready for a coup.
Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, earlier this week expressed apprehension about the state of Ghana’s democratic stability, primarily due to ongoing economic hardships.
During an interview on Joy News, he voiced concerns regarding the potential for political instability in the country.
Nketiah emphasised that the prevailing tolerance among Ghanaian citizens has been a crucial factor in preventing the nation from sliding into turmoil.
He also drew attention to Ghana’s historical instances of coups that were instigated by conditions less severe than the current economic challenges.
“Ghana is more than ripe for a coup d’état, but the only thing that is saving us is the tolerance of Ghanaians.
“If you look at our history, you will see that the things that have led to previous coup d’états in this country were even less than what is happening now. But the only thing that is saving us is tolerance and our collective history,” myjoyonline.com quoted him as saying.
But this remarks doesn’t sit well with lot of Ghanaians including Allotey Jacobs who argued that he understands why a national chairman of the leading opposition party in Ghana will call for coup.
“He has been a beneficiary of coups in Ghana, in 1981. I was victim of that coup and I saw people suffered. How many people have you helped that you are saying Ghana is ripe for a coup. Instead you giving hope to people this what you saying”. he added
Burkina Faso’s military junta has confirmed that a counter-coup will be foiled on September 26, 2023.
According to a government official in a statement dated September 27, 2023, a number of officers are currently under investigation by the prosecutor for their actions in the failed effort.
Reports suggest that Ouagadougou witnessed an influx of people on Tuesday evening, partaking in what appeared to be a pro-junta demonstration. This gathering was allegedly sparked by rumors of an internal coup within Colonel Ibrahim Traore’s junta leadership.
While some media outlets have asserted that the coup was orchestrated by individuals within the junta, GhanaWeb has been unable to independently verify these claims.
Videos and photos obtained by GhanaWeb depict a gathering predominantly composed of men, with fewer women and children, congregating at a roundabout in Ouagadougou. Some were heard chanting slogans, while others sang, and a few simply observed.
Burkina Faso is one of four West African nations to have experienced coups in recent years. The first involved the removal of Christian Roch Marc Kabore from office in 2022 by then-junta leader Sandaogo Damiba, who, six months later, was also ousted by the Ibrahim Traore-led junta.
Persistent insecurity has been a significant catalyst for these coups, with the wave of violence showing no signs of abating under Traore’s leadership.
Currently, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, all under junta rule, are part of an alliance of Sahel Nations striving to counter the escalating threat of terrorist violence in the region.
Hundreds took to the streets of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in a reported pro-junta march amid rumors of an internal coup within the Colonel Ibrahim Traore-led junta.
The exact nature of the alleged coup remains unverified.
Videos and photos from the scene depict a gathering primarily comprised of men, with some women and children present.
Some participants chanted slogans, sang, or observed the event, while others honked horns and blew whistles in the busy intersection.
Burkina Faso has witnessed multiple coups in recent years, including the removal of President Christian Roch Marc Kabore in 2022 by then-junta leader Sandaogo Damiba, who was subsequently ousted by the Ibrahim Traore-led junta six months later.
Ongoing insecurity has been a key factor in these political changes.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, all currently under junta leadership, are part of an Alliance of the Sahel Nations working to combat the spread of terrorist violence in the region.
In the aftermath of a coup, President Emmanuel Macron has said that France will revoke its ambassador and halt all military cooperation with Niger.
“France has decided to withdraw its ambassador. In the next hours our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France,” Mr Macron said.
He added that military co-operation was “over” and French troops would leave in “the months to come”.
The military coup that took over Niger in July applauded the decision.
“This Sunday we celebrate a new step towards the sovereignty of Niger,” the junta said, in a statement quoted by AFP news agency.
After months of tension and protests against the French presence in Niger, particularly in the capital city of Niamey, Paris has made a significant decision. This decision has dealt a severe blow to France’s efforts against Islamist militants in the broader Sahel region and its influence in the area. President Macron, however, emphasized that France would not allow itself to be controlled by the coup leaders, stating this during interviews with France’s TF1 and France 2 television stations.
President Macron continued to recognize Mohamed Bazoum, the ousted President of Niger, who is currently being held captive by the coup leaders, as the legitimate authority of the country. He described Bazoum as a “hostage” of the situation and attributed the coup to his courageous reform efforts and a complex web of ethnic rivalries and political cowardice.
Niger is one of several former French colonies in West Africa where military takeovers have occurred recently, following similar incidents in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Chad. Gabon also experienced a coup in August.
Anti-French sentiment has been on the rise in the region, with local politicians accusing France of pursuing neocolonialist policies, a charge that France has consistently denied. There have also been concerns about the increasing influence of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group in the Sahel, which is accused of human rights abuses and has been cooperating with some of the newly established military regimes.
The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), with France’s support, has threatened military intervention in Niger to reinstate President Bazoum, but as of now, no action has been taken.
In response to the coup, Niger’s military leaders demanded the departure of French ambassador Sylvain Itte, but France refused to comply or recognize the legitimacy of the military regime, even after a 48-hour ultimatum issued in August.
President Macron’s statement comes shortly after the coup leaders in Niger banned “French aircraft” from flying over the country. Niger’s airspace, as noted by the regional air safety organization ASECNA, is now open to all national and international commercial flights except for French aircraft or those chartered by France, including those operated by Air France. Military, operational, and special flights will also require prior authorization to access the airspace. Air France confirmed that it is currently avoiding Niger’s airspace.
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has emphasized the growing prevalence of coups in Africa as a signal for African leaders to adeptly oversee their economies.
He emphasized that improved economic management has the potential to disrupt the cycle of poverty and unemployment, offering optimism for the youth to remain in Africa and actively contribute to the continent’s progress rather than seeking opportunities abroad.
“We have to do better in managing our economies to break the cycle of poverty and unemployment and give hope to our able youth to remain and work for the development of our continent instead of seeking the least opportunity to escape for greener pastures elsewhere…,” the Asantehene stated.
“No African leader can sleep happy so far as there’s an African boy willing to make the perilous journey of modern day migration,” he added.
Addressing the St. Andrews Africa Summit in Scotland, the Asante monarch underscored that as long as African youths continue to embark on perilous journeys abroad, no African leader can rest assured.
His counsel comes in the wake of recent coups in various African nations, including Gabon, Mali, Guinea, Chad, and Niger.
While unequivocally condemning coups and dismissing them as viable solutions to Africa’s challenges, he called upon African leaders to view these events as indicators of underlying issues in the democratic experiment.
The Asantehene proposed that these occurrences should trigger a thorough examination of the democratic frameworks and constitutional structures within African states, emphasizing the imperative for meaningful reforms and effective governance.
“I do not think it signals rejection of democracy as a system of governance but rather, it brings into question the structures we have built in our democratic system, and that, I will suggest reinforces the questions we’ve been raising about the constitutional arrangement of the African democratic state,” he stated.
The government of Congo-Brazzaville has refuted rumors of an attempted coup against President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who has been in office for 39 years.
These rumors had circulated on social media amid claims that the military sought to remove the 79-year-old leader, who is presently in the United States attending a UN summit alongside other global leaders.
“The government denies this fake news,” Information Minister Thierry Moungalla posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, saying he wanted to reassure members of the public they could “go about their activities calmly”.
The government’s official website also issued a statement refuting the claims of a coup attempt.
Recent months have witnessed a surge in coup d’états across Africa, with the most recent occurring in neighboring Gabon, where the military assumed control in August.
Mr. Sassou Nguesso came to power through a military coup in 1979 in the oil-rich central African nation. Although he lost Congo’s initial multi-party elections in 1992, he reclaimed power in 1997 following a civil war.
Currently, the Congolese leader ranks as the third-longest serving president in Africa, following Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea and Paul Biya of Cameroon.
The leading opposition party in Tunisia has reported that the Tunisian police have apprehended the top two officials within their ranks.
Among those detained is Mondher Ounissi, the interim head of Ennahda, the main opposition party. Ounissi’s arrest is allegedly linked to audio recordings in which he purportedly accuses fellow party members of accepting illicit funds. However, Mr. Ounissi vehemently denies the authenticity of these recordings.
This detention follows a pattern of the Tunisian authorities detaining various opposition figures throughout the year. Since 2021, President Kais Saied has been governing by decree after dismissing parliament and dissolving the government.
The Dean of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), Dr. Vladimir Antwi-Danso has clarified that he is more concerned about other issues than the likelihood of Ghana experiencing a military coup.
He pointed out that Ghana seems to be a safe haven, even amid the numerous coup attempts in the surrounding region. This stability is attributed to the effective functioning of institutions.
Dr. Antwi-Danso emphasized that despite this stability, Ghana should remain vigilant about other internal security challenges, such as ungoverned areas.
“We are only safe because there is a semblance of the ballot to the next ballot. There is also a semblance of participation because of the way we do things; there’s a semblance of institutional presence—institutions of state are working in Ghana. These are some of the things that are saving Ghana and making Ghana safe from coups.
In an interview with Ghanaweb, he explained “But there are several other things we need to watch out for: incessant feuds like tribal feuds and wars around us; we should be very careful about that. And again, ungoverned spaces – spaces where government is not felt. Dollar Power is one such place. Bawku and other areas where there are feuds, I fear that as insecurity on the state, rather than coups,”
Regarding the state of security in Ghana amidst recent coups in Africa, Dr. Vladimir Antwi-Danso emphasized the need for careful monitoring of Bawku.
He pointed out that, similar to what transpired in Mali, there is a risk that any of the conflicting factions in Bawku could seek support from jihadist groups in the region if not properly managed.
This underscores the importance of addressing the security situation in Bawku to prevent potential destabilization.
This, he added, would not augur well for Ghana and should be carefully looked at since it can be worse than a coup d’état.
“Because, the Bawku situation, for example, can invite terrorists. In fact, Mali started off this way, with internecine feuds among the tribes… and they invited Al Qaeda, then later on, other groups also invited ISIS and they have formed what is called ISWAP (ISIS in West African Province).
“So, if we don’t take care, one of the Bawku factions can invite any of the jihadists to come and help them. I’m more afraid about these than a coup in Ghana,” he added.
Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Professor Kobby Mensah, has clarified that the impact ofcoup d’états on businesses varies depending on the specific circumstances.
He explained that the consequences differ across different sectors of the economy, with some businesses experiencing significant negative effects, while others may encounter minimal or no disruptions.
Professor Kobby Mensah pointed out that the tourism sector tends to be the most adversely affected since potential patrons and foreign tourists tend to stay away due to security concerns associated with military takeovers.
In contrast, he noted that the extractive industry often thrives during coups because many western mining companies seize the opportunity to exploit the situation and potentially gain advantages at the expense of the affected countries.
“There are different types of coups and their implications on businesses, but it must be noted that not every business suffers during coup d’etats.
“The tourism sector suffers the most during coup d’etats, but the extractive sector for instance doesn’t, and this is because some of the Western countries particularly the unscrupulous ones use it as an opportunity to siphon the country’s natural mineral resources at cheap prices,” he was quoted by norvanreport.com.
The marketing lecturer stated that the uncertainties that come with coups do not support the business climate, hence coups surely have a lasting influence on the economy.
The leader of the military junta in Gabon, Gen Brice Oligui Nguema, is scheduled to take the oath of office as the interim president of the nation.
The army ousted President Ali Bongo on Wednesday shortly after he was declared the winner of a disputed election.
Supporters of the military regime in Gabon are expected to attend Gen Nguema’s inauguration.
While the atmosphere in the country remains calm, security measures have been heightened.
Interestingly, Gen Nguema is reported to be the cousin of the deposed President Ali Bongo, raising questions about whether this signifies a true end to the 55-year-long Bongo era.
Gen Nguema has emphasized that he will not hastily transition the country back to civilian rule, aiming to avoid repeating past errors.
However, the opposition has voiced concerns that the military is displaying no intention of relinquishing power.
Gabon becomes the sixth Francophone country in the last three years to come under military rule, highlighting challenges for former colonial power France in maintaining its influence on the continent.
The African Union has decided to suspend Gabon’s membership due to the recent military junta in the Central African nation. This announcement was made by the AU’s Peace and Security Council on Thursday evening, as reported by NAN.
It’s worth noting that the AU suspended suspended Niger Republic’s membership just a few weeks ago when a military takeover occurred at the end of July.
In addition to Gabon, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Sudan have also faced suspensions from international bodies due to recent coups in these countries.
In Brussels, top EU diplomat Josep Borrell expressed the European Union’s strong stance against any unlawful seizure of power in Gabon. He emphasized the need for resolving the challenges facing Gabon through adherence to the principles of the rule of law, constitutional order, and democracy. Borrell stated that the country’s peace, prosperity, and regional stability depended on this approach.
He called for an inclusive and meaningful dialogue as the means to uphold the rule of law, human rights, and the will of the Gabonese people, rather than resorting to the use of force.
The military took control of Gabon on Wednesday, announcing the dissolution of state institutions on state television. They asserted that the recent election results were invalid due to fraud and closed the country’s borders. Shortly before these developments, electoral authorities had declared the incumbent president, who had been in office since 2009, as the winner of the August 26 election.
On Wednesday evening, military leaders designated the head of the Presidential Guard, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, as the interim leader of the country.
In the aftermath of this week’s military coup, the Peace and Security Council of the African Union announced on Thursday that it had resolved to “immediately suspend” Gabon.
On X, previously Twitter, the organization declared that it “strongly condemns the military coup that overthrew President Ali Bongo of the Republic of Gabon on August 30, 2023.”
It “decides to immediately suspend Gabon’s participation in all AU activities, including those of its organs and institutions, pending the restoration of the nation’s constitutional order.”
The announcement followed a council meeting convened to address the situation in Gabon, prompted by the recent coup that occurred after contested elections, resulting in Bongo’s contested victory.
This session was overseen by Bankole Adeoye of Nigeria, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, and Willy Nyamitwe from Burundi, who currently holds the council’s rotational chairmanship.
On the preceding Wednesday, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Head of the African Union Commission, called upon the Gabonese military and security forces to ensure the safety of Bongo, who the coup leaders claimed was put under house arrest.
Faki also denounced the coup, characterizing the events in Gabon as a “blatant breach” of the legal and political frameworks of the African Union headquartered in Addis Ababa.
In his statement on X, Faki urged all political, civil, and military stakeholders in Gabon to prioritize peaceful political avenues, facilitating a swift return to democratic constitutional governance within the country.
This move mirrors a similar action taken earlier this month by the African Union, which suspended Niger after a coup in the West African nation in July that ousted the elected president, Mohamed Bazoum.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has issued a warning to the government, urging it to avoid actions that might lead the country into a coup.
The coup in Gabon is the most recent in a series of coups that have occurred in recent years, following closely on the heels of a military takeover in Niger just a month ago.
The NDC emphasized the underlying causes of coups and advised the government to be attentive to the needs and concerns of the citizens.
General Secretary of the NDC, Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, speaking to journalists in Accra, said, “Let the people decide who should be in charge. As opposed to this primitive obsession we have, that as soon as you have access to power, you must corrupt institutions, you must turn them into appendages.”
“You must destroy the businesses that support your opponents, you must create conditions that make it impossible for any other person to have a possibility of power. Yet at the same time, when you hear about a coup in another country, you jump into sending the military. Meanwhile, you are creating a situation that could lead to the same situation in your country.”
Certain individuals involved in coup attempts have cited governance shortcomings, unmet citizen entitlements, and widespread public frustration, among other factors, as reasons for their actions.
Meanwhile, thousands of Gabonese citizens and residents have taken to the streets in jubilation to mark the military coup in their nation.
As previously reported by Sahara Reporters, a group of Gabonese soldiers made a televised announcement on Wednesday morning, declaring their intent to “terminate the existing regime” and nullify the results of an election that, according to official reports, President Ali Bongo Ondimba had won.
Videos of Gabonese marching through the streets showed jubilant residents waving their national flag and thanking their military for liberating them.
However, Gabon’s president on August 30, called on “friends all over the world” to “make noise” over the coup in Gabon, in a clip that’s been circulating on social media.
Ali Bongo said: “My son is somewhere, my wife is in another place. Nothing is happening. I don’t know what is going on.”
Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani, the leader of the coup in Niger, has issued an order that permits the military administrations of Mali and Burkina Faso to deploy their forces within Niger’s borders for the purpose of aiding in defense against a potential attack.
This declaration followed a visit to Niamey by the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Olivia Rouamba, and Mali, Abdoulaye Diop, on Thursday.
In response to the ousting of democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum by a faction of army officers last month, the West African regional organization, Ecowas, has threatened to utilize military intervention to reinstate him.
While Ecowas has been engaging in diplomatic negotiations with thecoup leaders, the organization has underscored its readiness to dispatch troops if these diplomatic efforts prove unsuccessful.
The Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) announced plans to send its reserve force into Niger have drawn criticism from the former president of Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo.
The action is a part of strategies to undo the July 26 coup that led to President Mohamed Bazoum’s ouster.
In an interview earlier this week, Gbagbo criticized the president of Ivory Coast for allegedly preparing to send Ivorian military on the ground before branding any action “madness.”
“When I heard Alassane Ouattara say he is going to send a battalion to Niger, I laughed so much. You can tell he didn’t make the Army. I made the army. One battalion is three companies. You can’t occupy BoboDioulasso neighborhood with that.”
“I advise ECOWAS to use its standby force to fight terrorists in West Africa,” he said.
“Bazoum’s fate is already sealed. It will be madness to send soldiers to Niger for free killings,” he stressed adding that he expected the junta in Niamey to release Bazoum who remains under detention.
“I want Bazoum to be released, but I don’t want this war to take place. It would be the most stupid war,” he stressed in the August 22 interview with Le Monde Afrique.
Former head of state of Nigeria and ECOWAS mediator Abdul salami Abubakar told the BBC this week that there was hope for a diplomatic solution and that no one desired violence. However, a security expert with a focus on West Africa has revealed that a deployment is about to take place and that six nations, including Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Benin, Guinea-Bissau, and Nigeria, are prepared to provide troops.
"When I heard Alassane Ouattara say he is going to send a battalion to Niger, I laughed so much." You can tell he didn't make the Army. I made the army. One battalion is three companies. You can't occupy BoboDioulasso neighborhood… pic.twitter.com/JUiY8NoMvn
General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who orchestrated a coup to overthrow President Mohamed Bazoum and assumed control of Niger’s government, has put forth a proposal to restore democracy within a span of three years.
The junta head said that Niger did not want a war but would defend itself against any foreign intervention.
“If an attack were to be undertaken against us, it will not be the walk in the park some people seem to think,” he warned in his televised address on Saturday evening.
Gen Tchiani reaffirmed his condemnation of the sanctions imposed by Ecowas, which he characterized as “illegitimate and inhumane.” These sanctions have included measures such as electricity cuts, leading to power outages in Niamey and other major urban centers, as well as the disruption of vital imports.
As a consequence, truck drivers have been stranded for weeks, unable to deliver essential supplies, causing a surge in food prices.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has warned of the possibility of military intervention if diplomatic negotiations prove unsuccessful in reversing the coup that occurred last month, resulting in the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum.
Regional initiatives aimed at overturning the coup have garnered support from the United States and France, both of which maintain military bases in Niger. These bases are instrumental in the joint efforts to combat jihadist organizations across the broader Sahel region.
The leader of the junta, who previously headed the presidential guard before assuming power on July 26th, cautioned that military intervention might exacerbate the ongoing Islamist insurgencies associated with groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Coups are bad and there is no justification whatsoever for it. In the view of Plato, soldiers have no business governing a country.
They must remain guardians and allow the Philosopher King alone to govern. But many times, there are no Philosopher Kings in Africa and so, coups happen. When they occur, they require a very serious thinking process and analysis to handle them. Sometimes, a military response may be the way to deal with them. At other times, pure diplomacy may be required.
The Niger situation is quite different from the Gambian situation and in my honest opinion, would require a more tactful diplomacy than military response. In Gambia, the international community was ad idem that Yahaya Jammeh had to leave and there were virtually no foreign military bases that had special interests in his country. His soldiers were no longer loyal to him and hence he had to flee when ECOWAS troops moved in on him.
The situation in Niger is however quite different. The military junta there are ready to fight. Russia has an interest in providing para-military services to ward off terrorist in Niger for a fee. They are in full support of the current military junta.
The Americans want their company Chevron to pass gas pipelines from Nigeria through Niger to Algeria for European consumption, a move to diversify European dependence on Russia gas.
In fact, because of this plan ‘Nordstrom’ or ‘Nordstream’ pipeline from Russia to Europe was blown up in the ocean through sabotage with the Americans being prime suspects. So for Russia, they will support the Niger junta especially when the latter even made it clear that they’re halting exportation of uranium to France.
France has an interest in the uranium of Niger and is willing to fight in defence of the ousted leader. So, France and America would be against the military junta while Russia will fight on the side of the junta. Burkina Faso has also declared her intentions to fight any country or group that attacks Niger militarily and Nigeria may be unable to provide troops as its parliament has voted against a military response to what is happening in Niger.
How will ECOWAS troops fare? We must be careful not to be caught in a crossfire of a potential proxy war, where soldiers may be innocently massacred. Given that there is no unanimity on the use of military force in handling the crisis in Niger even among ECOWAS countries, we must interrogate the resolve to use soldiers rather than diplomacy critically, and with some trepidation.
I know that some African leaders who have governed poorly, are pushing for the deployment of military force to handle the Niger crisis, as a way of ensuring that no one dreams about coups. Yes no one must dream about coups, but the best antidote to coups isn’t the use of military force, it is good governance. African leaders who are scared of military coups now have an excellent opportunity to govern well in addressing basic human needs of the ordinary people as a sure way to make the idea of coups unpopular.
If all the countries that are teaming up to ally with Niger decide to do so, ECOWAS forces may not succeed, and when there is massacre of forces of African descent, it potentially can infuriate soldiers to react against their governments that deployed their colleagues.
We must never support any coup anywhere in the world. But when they occur, we must strategise appropriately to deal with them. Not all coups can be responded to with military force. Some, especially in the Niger case would require a more nuanced and tactful diplomacy.
Yaw Gyampo
A31 Prabiw
PAV Ansah Street
Saltpond
&
Suro Nipa House
Behind Old Post Office
Larteh Akuapim
Disclaimer: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana.
The Nigerian people, he added, would endure even more hardship as a result of last month’s coup, have drawn the utmost concern of the UN’s human rights chief.
Volker Türk urged the military leaders to reestablish the rule of law right away.
He claimed that with borders closed, trade at a halt, power outages, and rising food costs, the situation in a nation where over half of the population lives in abject poverty was getting worse.
His remarks come as West African army chiefs are gathering in Ghana for a second day to plan potential military action should diplomatic efforts to overthrow the coup prove unsuccessful.
A military takeover is a situation many in Ghana, including political analysts, are cautioning against.
Such conversation stems from the recent coups witnessed in the West African sub-region, with Niger being the latest country affected.
Last month, a military junta led by Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani seized power from democratically-elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who is now accused of treason.
The surge in military takeovers has prompted experts to caution the government to right its wrongs as well as sensitize citizens on the consequences of autocratic governance.
Ghana has recorded a number of military takeovers in the past. It is, however, not immune due to its history.
While Ghana works to find ways to ward off such a situation, New Patriotic Party presidential hopeful, Kennedy Agyapong, has shared details of what would happen to the beacon of Africa should it lose its democratic governance practiced for 30 years.
He provided these details during an interview on TV3 on Wednesday, August 16, 2023.
According to him, the first line of action by the junta, should a coup happen in Ghana will be the dissolution of Parliament. He submitted that this would be directly followed by the attack of Members of Parliament.
Simultaneously, journalists will be arrested, he said.
“If we make a mistake and we allow coup d’etats all over West Africa, tomorrow it will be me and you. The first thing, two of us, will go to jail before any body. They will dissolve Parliament.
They will arrest journalists. Check all the coups,” he mentioned.
He therefore emphasised the role of the security forces and the need to prevent a coup as it would cost Ghana more to manage a coup situation.
“So the security of this country is important. Prevention is better than cure. Prevention will not cost you as much as you are curing it. The security of this country is very important.”
“The second most important West African country is Ghana,” he added.
Meanwhile, there are reports that Ghana is preparing to send its soldiers to Niger to complement ECOWAS’ measures to return the country to democratic governance.
Mr Agyapong did not outrightly confirm this report, but he noted that “we have obligations as ECOWAS members, and you cannot run away from it.”
Top military leaders from the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS) are expected to hold a two-day meeting in Accra on August 17 and 18, 2023.
The meeting, per reports, is to discuss a possible intervention in Niger, where a junta held a coup last month.
Military takeover in Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea
In Mali, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was ousted from power by a military coalition in August. Subsequently, Mali’s former Defense Minister, Bah Ndaw, assumed the presidency of the new transitional government, with Colonel Assimi Goita appointed as vice president. However, they were both removed from power a year later in May by Colonel Assimi Goita, a 42-year-old.
On September 5, 2021, Guinea experienced a coup d’état as the armed forces captured President Alpha Condé, who had extended his stay in power through a constitutional amendment. Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, 43-year-old, was sworn in as transitional leader in October.
In Burkina Faso, President Roch Kabore was ousted from power on January 24, 2022, following a coup led by Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba. However, eight months later, military rule was reestablished, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, 35.
Colonel Assimi Goita
In Burkina Faso, President Roch Kabore was ousted from power on January 24, 2022, following a coup led by Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba. However, eight months later, military rule was reestablished, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
The Christian Council of Ghana has issued a warning to President Akufo-Addo regarding the deployment of Ghanaian troops to aid in countering the coup in Niger.
This deployment forms part of the ECOWAS standby force’s endeavor to remove the recently established military leadership in Niger.
Addressing the media, General Secretary for the Council, Cyril G. K. Fayose, stressed the urgency for President Akufo-Addo to reconsider his current approach, urging him to halt and carefully consider the potential adverse consequences of the situation.
“The church is concerned because it a very delicate and complicated issue at this point. First of all any form of military intervension can have so many implications not only in Niger but the whole sub-regions. So it’s not only going to be go in there, get the military janta out and reinstating the president and then pack out,”he added.
Mr Fayose mentioned that proceeding without well-defined strategies could result in potential repercussions in the future.
The Council’s General Secretary emphasized their profound concern regarding the issue, highlighting its relevance to national interests.
“It is going to be a prolonged engagement, lives will be lost, there may be reprecurssions back here at home. People will flee the country and we will have to receive them etc. So I am in the opinion that we should explore all peaceful options before we can go in for a military intervention so the president…..”
He advocated for a renewed focus on peaceful approaches, acknowledging past unsuccessful attempts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to stabilize the situation.
Meanwhile, Parliament has reportedly summoned top military officials and heads of various security agencies within the country to address President Akufo-Addo‘s decision to deploy Ghanaian troops to Niger.
On August 10, 2023, ECOWAS held a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, led by President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
This session was a continuation of a prior one on July 30, 2023, in response to the unlawful detention of President Mohamed Bazoum by the Presidential Guard in Niger on July 26, 2023.
During the meeting, ECOWAS reiterated its strong condemnation of the attempted coup d’état and the ongoing illegal detention of President Mohamed Bazoum, his family, and government officials.
Some onion sellers have allegedly been hospitalized due to the excruciating pain of looked up funds invested in bags of onions withheld at Niger border.
In a time of media engagement with one of the sellers, Mumuni Anabila, disclosed that some of them secured loans to keep their onion business running.
Unfortunately the Niger coup happened and it’s negatively impacting their finances and business stability.
He revealed that some of his brothers involved in the business have been hospitalized due to the “grave” financial loss.
“We the onion traders went in to secureloansfor our business. When the cars were blocked from discharging the onions to us we were heavily affected. As it stands now we don’t know what we are going to do.
“We are appealing to the government to do all he can to release the onions to us. Some of our goods were spoilt over there because they were seized for two weeks.Some of the traders with us here are in hospital. Two of my brothers are in the hospital because of their locked up funds,” Mr. Anabila shared.
About one hundred trucks of onions expected to deliver onions to the kwadeso market are locked up in Niger for many days.
Each truck transporting at least 300 bags of onions at a cost of 1500.00 each.
An estimated 45milion Ghana ceds remains locked up at the border for fear of terrorist activities.
Meanwhile, individuals belonging to the Ghanaian Onion Sellers Association find themselves stranded at the Benin border, and they are once again appealing to the government for assistance.
The group’s spokesperson, Ali Umar, communicated during an interview with Citi Business News, said that their inability to traverse the border into Ghana is poised to negatively impact their business operations.
Umar elucidated that a number of association members had taken loans from both individuals and financial establishments to undertake their onion procurement. Consequently, if prompt measures are not taken, these individuals will face financial incapacitation, leaving them unable to fulfill their repayment obligations.
“Our trucks are still at the border, they are not able to allow them to come over. We need support from the government because some of us have to go and borrow money,” Ali Umar said.
“…So if it has come like this, it is not easy to pay the money back. So we really need the support. If the government can support us with something, we will be really grateful,” he added.
The shutdown of Niger’s airspace has caused a notable increase in the volume of flights utilizing Ghana’s airspace.
Since the military regime’s closure of Niger’s airspace on August 6, 2023, an analysis by AviationGhana of real-time flight data from Flightradar24 reveals that numerous European airlines have altered their flight paths to include Accra, Ghana, as a stopover on routes to key travel markets like Nigeria and other nations in Central and Southern Africa.
Mr. Francis Armah Mensah, President of the Ghana Air Traffic Controllers Association (GHATCA), confirmed this development to AviationGhana.
“The closure of the Nigerien Airspace is having an impact on the Accra Flight Information Region. We have more traffic routing our airspace now than ever. The situation has increased the workload on Air Traffic Controllers. In terms of revenue, it will boost our revenue,” Mr. Mensah said.
The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the regulator of the aviation sector, is poised to benefit from overflight charges.
For operators not conducting flights into Ghana, a scheduled overflight costs US$150 (per single request). Similarly, all non-scheduled flights passing through Ghana’s airspace are required to obtain a permit at least 72 hours before the intended flight date and pay the same fee.
The current closure of Niger’s airspace exacerbates flight difficulties across Africa, given that Sudan and Libya are designated “no-fly” zones for international flights due to instability in those regions.
The necessity to divert and reroute flights, especially those between Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa, has led to extended flight durations and heightened expenses for airlines.
To illustrate, an additional hour of travel time on a Boeing 777 translates to an extra consumption of 3,500 to 4,000 gallons of aviation fuel for the journey.
With today’s fuel price at US$1.993 per gallon, this results in an added expense ranging from US$6,975 to US$7,972 for airlines. These costs could potentially be passed on to passengers, leading to higher airfares.
Reportedly, the individuals who staged the coup in Niger are said to have agreed to engage in negotiations with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as confirmed by mediators.
This information was disclosed by the leader of a delegation of Islamic clerics, Nigerian Sheik Bala Lau, on Sunday following a meeting with Niger’s newly established leader, General Abdourahmane Tchiani.
The Nigerian delegation journeyed to Niamey, Niger’s capital, on Saturday amidst escalating tensions between Niger and the ECOWAS group of states, currently under the leadership of Nigeria.
Sheik Lau mentioned that during the meeting, all topics were discussed, including ECOWAS’ demand for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum, who was removed from power in the coup that occurred on July 26.
Tchiani reportedly assured the delegation that diplomatic and peaceful resolution avenues were open to address the matter. He also defended the motives behind the coup.
Until now, Niger’s new leadership has declined official delegations from ECOWAS. One delegation was forced to depart shortly after arriving at the airport, and another was barred from entering the country.
ECOWAS has imposed sanctions on Niger and has issued threats of force if the coup leaders do not restore President Bazoum to power.
On a related note, ECOWAS heads of state made the decision on Thursday to activate a standby force for the purpose of reinstating constitutional order in Niger. Simultaneously, efforts to find a peaceful solution were reaffirmed as a top priority.
Niger’s coup instigators have levied accusations against French forces, alleging that they freed detained “terrorists” and violated the country’s airspace ban with the intention of destabilizing Niger. However, France has swiftly refuted these claims.
The seizure of power by soldiers from the presidential guard on July 26, resulting in the detention of President Mohammad Bazoum, led to widespread international condemnation and the potential prospect of a military intervention by neighboring West African nations. Responding to these concerns, the coup leaders took the step of closing Niger’s airspace on Sunday and issued a warning against any form of foreign intervention.
In a video message delivered on Wednesday, Colonel Amadou Abdramane, the spokesperson for the coup leaders, alleged that France had released 16 “terrorist elements,” who subsequently regrouped to plot an attack on Nigerien military positions along the border.
The colonel further asserted that an assault was carried out against a unit of the National Guard at 6:30 a.m. (05:30 GMT) in Bourkou Bourkou, situated around 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from the Samira gold mine in the Tillaberi region.
In addition to these allegations, the colonel contended that a French military aircraft had violated the airspace ban imposed by Niger. France, however, has rejected these assertions outright.
“We are witnessing a real plan of destabilisation of our country, orchestrated by French forces,” Abdramane said. The spokesperson did not provide any evidence for the claims.
According to Reuters, France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs disputed the charges and claimed that their aircraft movements were compliant with an earlier arrangement with Nigerien forces.
It stated that the legitimate authorities had asked for French troops to be stationed in Niger.
“No attack against a Nigerien camp took place,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
A French government official told the AFP news agency that “no terrorist has been freed by French forces.”
Experts have warned that a potential power vacuum in Niger could be exploited by armed groups.
“Tillaberi is an area where you see a lot of activities from groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL,” said Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris reporting from Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
“And this was feared since day one of the coup that some member of armed groups in the region may take advantage of what is happening,” Idris said.
ECOWAS emergency summit
Ahead of an emergency summit convened by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the recent developments in Niger have heightened tensions. France, having historical ties as the former colonial power, maintains a substantial relationship with Niger, bolstered by the presence of approximately 1,000 to 1,500 French soldiers stationed in the country. However, the coup leaders have taken a stance against this, annulling five military cooperation agreements and suspending broadcasts from French international news outlets France 24 and RFI.
The coup leaders’ allegations regarding France’s involvement come just ahead of the ECOWAS meeting in Abuja, which aims to address the crisis in Niger. During a preceding summit the prior week, ECOWAS cautioned that military intervention was possible and set a deadline of August 6 for the military to restore democratic governance and release President Bazoum. Despite the passage of this deadline, no military action was undertaken.
Bola Tinubu, the head of the regional bloc and also the president of Nigeria, ECOWAS’s most influential member, encountered resistance both domestically and internationally for raising the prospect of military intervention.
Interestingly, countries like Mali and Burkina Faso, which faced ECOWAS suspensions due to previous coups, have voiced their support for the coup leaders in Niger.
The seizure of power in Niger marks the ninth coup within the Sahel region over the course of three years.
A prominent figure within the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Nyaho Nyaho Tamekloe, has attributed the persistent occurrence of coup d’états in Africa to a dearth of mature leadership across the continent.
He asserted that unless African leaders adopt a more mature mindset, the cycle of coup d’états will likely persist.
In an interview with the media, the seasoned politician highlighted the recent coup that unfolded in Niger on July 26, 2023, as a vivid example.
Dr. Tamekloe pointed out that many African leaders focus on manipulating systems to their advantage and diverting resources for personal gain.
Drawing parallels across the African context, he emphasized that the issue transcends national borders, encompassing the entire continent.
Dr. Tamekloe criticized leaders who cling to power, manipulate elections, and prioritize personal interests, which he identifies as root causes of the recurring coup dynamics.
He stressed that a shift towards more mature and responsible leadership is crucial to breaking this cycle.
Dr. Tamekloe warned that the self-serving greed of current politicians and their successors could lead to the downfall of their countries. Such practices, he argued, hinder the true progress and prosperity of a nation, undermining its potential for sustainable development.
The recent series of coup d’états in the Western and Northern regions of Africa has raised serious concerns, both within the Sub-region and internationally.
Driven by the military junta, these upheavals have posed challenges for efforts to restore democracy and stability.
Despite the intervention of bodies like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), led by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a formidable alliance has formed among the military leadership in Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea, Sudan, and now Niger, complicating regional stability.
Onion vendors in Ghana have reached out to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, appealing for his intervention to facilitate the release of their stranded trucks from Niger.
Their concern stems from the apprehension that failure to release these trucks could trigger a surge in onion prices.
Numerous truckloads of onions currently remain held at Ghana’s northern border due to the prevailing military takeover in Niger, which has led to the imposition of ECOWAS sanctions on the country.
The onion truck drivers have found themselves in a state of limbo for several days at the border due to the enforced closure of both land and air borders between ECOWAS member states and Niger.
The leader of the Accra Onion Importer Association, Sani Abubakar, emphasized that the anticipated outcome could entail a significant rise in onion prices, potentially leading to a shortage in supply.
During a media engagement he indicated that “For now, we are at a loss, we have a lot of trucks stuck at the border. Some are at the Mali border, Burkina Faso, and Benin so we are appealing to the government to intervene. If care is not taken we are going to sell one bag of onion at 3000 cedis.”
Presently, a sack of onions is being retailed within the price range of ¢1,300 to ¢25,000, which contrasts with the previous rate of ¢1,000 cedis.
In light of this circumstance, Dr. Charles Nyaaba, the Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, emphasized that the prevailing political instability in Niger is bound to exert an impact on the inflow of onions and other essential commodities into Ghana.
Dr. Nyaaba further noted that the state of affairs in Niger is anticipated to have repercussions on the importation of livestock into Ghana.
During an appearance on the Ghana Tonight show aired on TV3 on Tuesday, August 8, he underscored the potential consequences of the situation,
Presently, a sack of onions is being retailed within the price range of ¢1,300 to ¢25,000, which contrasts with the previous rate of ¢1,000 cedis.
In light of this circumstance, Dr. Charles Nyaaba, the Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, emphasized that the prevailing political instability in Niger is bound to exert an impact on the inflow of onions and other essential commodities into Ghana.
Dr. Nyaaba further noted that the state of affairs in Niger is anticipated to have repercussions on the importation of livestock into Ghana.
During an appearance on the Ghana Tonight show aired on TV3 on Tuesday, August 8, he underscored the potential consequences of the situation
Mr. Nyaaba also indicated that although Ghanaian farmers are producing these commodities, the local production is not enough to meet the demand on the market, hence the reliance on neighboring countries.
He said “In Ghana, it is not the case that we don’t have the potential to produce the same. When you take onions, which we are getting 100 percent from Niger, we also get seeds from Niger.
“…When there is no water, you can’t produce onions. So if you look at the farmers who produce onions, most of them are from the White Volta basin around Bawku, Zebilla, Bolgatanga, they produce the bulk of the onions, but is still highly insignificant to meet our consumption.”
Ningo-Prampram Member of Parliament, Sam Nartey George, is of the view that the legacy left by late former President Dr Kwame Nkrumah cannot be matched by any of his successors.
While contributing to the subject of coup d’etats in Africa on JoyNews on Monday, Mr George noted that Dr Nkruamh proved to the world, particularly the West, that the black man is capable of managing his own affairs.
However, he noted that after his passing, all the leaders Ghana has encountered have failed to fill the shoes once worn by the country’s first president and prime minister following its independence from British colonial rule on 6th March 1957.
Ghana’s founding father, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
“Look, a black man, Kwame Nkrumah, showed that it is possible.
“Over the weekend, I took my kids across about three regions and showed them a few things Nkrumah did and you know what my soon to be 8-year-old son said to me, he said ‘Nkrumah did a lot for Ghana and he wasn’t President for a very long time.’ And I said yes, he set a bar that nobody can meet.
“None of our following Presidents have been able to meet,” he said.
According to the Ningo-Prampram legislator, Ghana has not seen such impressive development as the current crop of leaders are more interested in serving themselves than the citizens.
“So it is possible if you have the leadership, the desire to serve your people and not to serve yourself,” he said.
Mr Nartey George is of the view that Ghana and Africa as a whole need “a crop of young leaders who are afrocentric in their thinking and will say to the West and Europe, ‘we will stay, hold our own, trade among ourselves, and we will only trade with you if you are willing to come and negotiate with us as equals.’”
The MP stressed that the older generation have failed the current generation. Citing President Akufo-Addo as reference, he noted that the president cannot demand a return to democratic governance in Niger when he failed to criticize the likes of Alassane Ouattara, who attempted to run for a third term by altering Ivory Coast’s constitution.
“This whole talk by Akufo-Addo that the hunter must withdraw and allow democratic institutions. What did he say when his friend Alhassan Wattra attempted to change the constitution of Ivory Coast. What did he say when his friend in Senegal tried to do it? It is that hypocrisy of African leadership that is leading to a revolution in the younger generation of Africans to say these old folks have had their day, and it is time for us to take our destiny into our own hands,” he stated.
Ouattara reversed an earlier commitment and announced his intention to participate in the October 31 election, prompting allegations that he is emulating the actions of other African leaders who have manipulated constitutional rules to retain control.
Although Ivory Coast’s legislation restricts presidential terms to two, Ouattara argues that the adoption of a new constitution in 2016 effectively reset the counter, thereby permitting him to seek re-election.
Onion prices are now up in Ghana as a result of the border closure imposed by ECOWAS on Niger following a coup d’état last week.
This has affected the supply of onions from Niger, which accounts for about 70 per cent of Ghana’s imports.
Onion sellers in Ghana are worried about the potential shortage and have appealed to the government to create conditions that enable large-scale onion farming in the country to avert such situations in the future.
Onions are not only a popular and versatile vegetable, but also a nutritious and beneficial one. They are rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, manganese, copper, and antioxidants. They may help lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.
A deficiency of onions in one’s diet may lead to reduced immunity, increased inflammation, impaired blood sugar regulation, and decreased bone density. Therefore, it is important to ensure adequate consumption of onions for optimal health.
The onion sellers hope that the political situation in Niger will be resolved peacefully and that the border restrictions will be lifted soon. They also hope that the government will support them to increase their local production and reduce their dependence on imports.
