Ghana Opposition Warn President on Niger Troop Plans

By Kwabena Adu Gyamfi

 14/08 - 17:31

Ghanaian opposition lawmakers have raised alarms regarding the proposed Ecowas initiative to potentially employ military intervention in Niger, aimed at reinstating constitutional order within the nation.

Lawmakers from the opposition are urging President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana to immediately halt all preparations towards deploying Ghanaian soldiers for this endeavor.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a member of the parliament's foreign affairs committee, conveyed to the BBC that the Ghanaian Parliament has not yet engaged in discussions concerning this matter, unlike other nations that have had the opportunity to deliberate on these issues and pass relevant resolutions.

He emphasized, "President Akufo-Addo lacks a mandate from the Ghanaian people in this regard... We firmly believe that resorting to military intervention is not the optimal course of action."

Members of the minority party in Ghana's parliament advocate for diplomacy and constructive dialogue as the preferred avenues for resolution.

Mr. Ablakwa articulated, "Our valiant Ghanaian soldiers should be kept removed from the impending risks of violence and the escalating geopolitical tensions, which could lead to extensive destabilization in an already precarious region."

Minority lawmakers in Ghana maintain that the nation's limited resources should be channeled towards addressing the country's economic struggles, especially in the wake of a $3 billion (£2.4 billion) International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout. They contend that Ghana should avoid becoming embroiled in a "proxy geopolitical confrontation."

Additional sources • Agencies