Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the Atta Mills Institute (AMI), Koku Anyidoho, has criticised ECOWAS ‘ decision to deploy troops to Niger.
According to the ECOWAS election observer, the current circumstances do not necessitate the use of military force.
He claimed that what occurred was more of a civic uprising headed by individuals in uniform.
According to Mr. Anyidoho, the Niger situation is one that civilians support, and ECOWAS should have used diplomacy instead of military intervention.
ECOWAS leaders have agreed to use force to depose Niger’s junta if it fails to restore democratic rule.
The conclusion was reached by West African leaders at their summit in Abuja today, Thursday, August 10, 2023.
According to the communique read by ECOWAS President Omar Touray, the leaders agreed that “all diplomatic efforts made by ECOWAS, in resolving the crisis have been defiantly repelled by the military leadership of the Republic of Niger.”
The leaders also took “note of the expiration of the one-week ultimatum given for the restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.”
The ECOWAS leaders have since directed “the Committee of the Chief of defence staff to activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately.”
They also ordered “the deployment of the ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.”
In response, Mr. Anyidoho asked if the troops deployed to Niger would execute people alongside soldiers when they arrived and realised civilians had joined them.
He also questioned how they would know and identify the soldiers if they were dressed in civilian clothes.
In an interview with Kwabena Agyapong on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, the founder of the Atta-Mills Institute stated that if you look at the civilians who are supporting the men in uniform, you will see that this is not a coup but a civilian uprising against what they perceive to be poor governance.
”Some have called it a coup and a military takeover, but I don’t want to call it that. It is a citizen uprising. Yes, those who led the process were in uniform, but look at the civilians who are supporting the men in uniform, and you will understand my point of view.”
He stated that, regardless of how this issue is viewed, the use of military intervention as proposed by ECOWAS will be difficult.
For him, diplomacy is the only way out of this challenge because the question to ask is, Are you going to kill all the civilians who are supporting the soldiers who led the uprising?
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
