President Akufo-Addo has encouraged Ghanaians to be resolute in fighting for the country’s good democratic credentials.
According to the president, the West African sub-region should not suddenly be back in the international news headlines for wrong reasons such as being politically instable or the place for a long and bitter experience due to coup d’etats.
Delivering his sixth State of the Nation Address on Wednesday, March 30 in parliament, he declared that “we should be unapologetic about campaigning for stable democratic governments in our region.”
The president’s comments come few weeks after military take-overs became topical in the public domain.
Prof. Raymond Atuguba while speaking at a function organised by Solidare Ghana on Tuesday, March 1, stated that given the current economic conditions coupled with hardships faced by Ghanaians, though the nation doesn’t call for a coup, the prevailing conditions make Ghana rife for a coup.
But President Akufo-Addo stressed that “we do not want to be an island of peace and stability in a region of turmoil. We do not aspire to be prosperous in the midst of want and poverty. We want a stable and prosperous Ghana in a stable and prosperous region.”
He emphasized the need for a zero tolerance for military coups noting that “we know the cost of instability. It leads to the exodus of artisans and professionals and the emptying of teachers from our schools. Mr. Speaker, today at every traffic light junction in our big towns and cities you can see the results of instability in our neighborhood with the influx of refugees into our country.”
The president, who doubles as the Chairman of ECOWAS, promised to use his leadership and membership of the African Union as well as his membership of the Commonwealth to push for peace and stability in the West African Region.
