President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged the African Union (AU) and other regional bodies to develop national institutions and empower citizens to demand compliance and accountability from their governments.
President Akufo-Addo said it was obvious of the grave dangers of those who had dared to engage at the national level faced, but urged that where the defenders of governance and constitutionalism face repression, “we must raise our voices in their defence as a collective”.
“We cannot abandon the messengers we send when they are confronted with dangers because of the messages they deliver,” the President stated.
As the host, President Akufo-Addo made the call when he opened the African Union Accra Reflections Forum III on unconstitutional changes of governments in Africa in Accra.
The Ghanaian President said experience had shown that even though external support was essential for accountability, it was ultimately national institutions, structures and processes that would effectively elicit compliance for the collective norms and frameworks on governance, democracy and constitutional rule.
He indicated that most celebrations about coups were more about the change than the support for the unconstitutional change.
“Once elections are not truly free and fair and legal tactics are employed to undermine the spirit of democracy, when legal loopholes are exploited to subvert constitutional provisions that guarantee inclusion and participation, when state apparatus is used to muscle freedom of expression, citizens begin to feel the democratic process has taken them hostage and often celebrate anything that looks like an end to their present predicament,” he maintained.
The answer is simple, President Akufo-Addo explained “our people simply want to enjoy the true dividends of democracy.”
He asked the participants that given that these coup d’etats were taking place in sovereign states, what were the realistic and practical preventative and responsive measures that Africa’s multilateral institutions would consider, given the obvious limitations emerging around existing practices and norms?”
President Akufo-Addo said there were plenty of early warning information from every country’s intelligence services and these agencies reported the threat and risk profiles of their countries.
With early warning architecture at the regional and continental level, complemented by the Committee of Intelligence Security Services of Africa, the Ghanaian President wondered why unconstitutional changes of governments on the continent were not dealt with completely.
“Is there a disconnect in the flow of information between these structures and decision-making? Or are we allowing the politics of decision-making and the pursuit of national interest to stand in the way of action,” he asked.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
