Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, leader of Ghana’s delegation to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, has condemned military coups that have overthrown democratically elected leaders in the sub region.
He said there should not be any rationale for the recent coups in the West African sub-region.
“Not even the barbaric onslaught from jihadists and terrorist groups and the economic challenges of the various countries must be justified,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin was speaking at the ECOWAS 5th Legislature Parliamentary seminar underway at Winneba in the Central Region, on the theme: “The Challenges of Unconstitutional Regime Change and Presidential Term Limits in West Africa: Role of the ECOWAS Parliament.”
Mr Afenyo-Markin, who is also the Deputy Majority Leader in Ghana’s Parliament, said the recent resurgence of military coups threatened to “drag Africa back to an era we fought tirelessly to transcend.”
“We must firmly condemn the coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Chad, and Gabon, along with the hostilities in Sudan. These actions are betrayals of the democratic principles we hold dear, and we demand a swift return to constitutional rule. We must affirm, unequivocally, that regression is not the solution. Our golden age lies ahead of us, not in the shadows of the 1960s to 1980s,” he said.
According to Mr Afenyo-Markin it was under the shade of democracy that Africans could cultivate the progress they aspired adding, “it is here that we can construct the schools that will nurture the minds of our future leaders. It is here that we can build modern hospitals to heal our people, and foster technology to propel Africa into an era of supreme industrialisation in the wake of the AfCFTA.”
Criticising the actions of leaders who unlawfully modify their constitutions to perpetuate their hold on power, he said it was a serious affront to the principles of democracy, which enshrined the fundamental rights of citizens to choose their leaders and to live under a government that was held accountable for its actions.
Mr Afenyo-Markin said: “As we traverse this difficult period, we must remain vigilant, standing firm against the erosion of these principles and fighting to protect the sanctity of our democratic processes.
He urged leaders to take inspiration from the late Mr Kofi Annan, a former United Nations General Secretary that, “though there is no one model of democracy, it is essential that the principles of democracy, human rights and freedoms are upheld universally, it gives a renewed commitment to enhance our democratic systems, making them more responsive to the needs and aspirations of every citizen, regardless of where they find themselves on the broad spectrum of society.”
This is the second time Ghana is hosting the ECOWAS Parliament that began last Friday and scheduled to end on October 7, 2023.
The ECOWAS Parliament, also known as the Community Parliament, is one of the institutions of ECOWAS which is the Assembly of Peoples of the Community serving as a forum for dialogue, consultation, and consensus for Representatives of the people of West Africa with the aim of promoting integration. — GNA
