The Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Ghana has urge the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, not to even contemplate deploying Ghanaian troops to fight in Niger.
According the TUC, It will be a disaster that will haunt Ghana for a very long time if he makes that mistake.
A statement issued and signed by Dr. Anthony Baah, Secretary General said urged all Organised Labour groups in Ghana, Nigeria, and other countries in the region to form alliance with progressive civil society organisations, including religious and faith-based groups, students, youth groups, women’s groups, and traditional leaders, to stand up against any attempt to declare war on sisters and brothers in the Republic of Niger.
The Statement said “We do not need war in West Africa. We need peace, social and economic development, and stability. That is what we want our leaders to focus on.We believe that through diplomacy, constitutional order can be re-established in the Republic of Niger if ECOWAS leaders engage the military junta in good faith, with clean hearts and clear minds. We urge the military junta to immediately return Niger to constitutional rule to preempt any senseless war in our region.”
It said ECOWAS must focus on its original and core mandate of economic development, regional integration, and poverty reduction in West Africa.
“No one can impose democracy on any country until and unless the people themselves are ready for it. The lessons from Afghanistan are still very fresh in our minds, and so we have no excuse to send our military men and women to die in Niger. We need them at home to protect us from the insurgents and external forces who are gradually but surely coming close to our borders with neighbouring countries.”
The leadership of TUC equally condemn the attempt by ECOWAS to use force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. We hold a strong view that any attempt to remove the Tchiani-led military junta in Niger by force will further escalate the tension and the insecurity in the region. There is simply no reason for ECOWAS to wage a war in Niger, more when there is no consensus among ECOWAS members. A war in Niger or anywhere in the region has a very great potential to create the environment for more insurgents and even more coup d’etats in the region which may lead to further instability and insecurity.
Source:Mybrytfmonline/ Mensah Atakora
