Fighters League Condemns Akufo-Addo’s Call For Foreign Security Forces In West Africa

The Economic Fighters League has condemned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s call for international cooperation and coordination in the fight against terrorism and extremism in the West African sub-region.

According to the National Security Minister, Kan Dapaa, there were 264 recorded terrorist attacks in West Africa between July 1 and September 30 this year resulting in 745 deaths.

Nigeria, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso are among the West African States most hit by extremism in West Africa.

During a bilateral meeting with the US Secretary of State, Anthony Bliken on December 14, President Akufo-Addo said growing terrorism in bordering States is a threat to peace and stability in Ghana.

He alleged that the Military government in Burkina Faso and Mali had engaged the Wagner Private Military Company to help fight non-state actors and on that note, called for US support in the fight against extremism in the sub-region.

But the Economic Fighters League faults the action of the President.

“The Economic Fighters League strongly condemns President Akufo-Addo’s open call to the United States of America to further deepen their ‘partnership’ with his government administration, a move that he claims will assist in stabilising the peace and security in Ghana and within the West African Subregion.”

Its stance against the presence of foreign security forces in Africa, it said, is based on historical precedents “of how the imposed presence of foreign forces such as AFRICOM and NATO has negatively impacted Africa”.

“We will not soon forget how NATO unlawfully invaded sovereign Libya, murdered President Ghadaffi and plunged Libya into the political and economic instability that the people of Libya are still suffering under today”.

According to the group, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) should rather take charge of the situation.

It believes any attempt to invite foreign security forces to “meddle” in the security situation in Africa is inimical to the continent’s political stability.

It, therefore, wants the African Union (AU) to “assume their mandated responsibility to lead the peace process in resolving conflicts and security issues across Africa by building a United security front, building a United Defence High Command, and harmonizing our foreign policy to prevent over-dependence on foreign military aid to address such delicate matters of security and political stability.”

Also, it wants President Akufo-Addo and Ghana’s foreign ministry to desist from making “inflammatory and politically incorrect” statements against the sovereign nations of Burkina Faso and Russia.

“It is detrimental to the peace and security of West Africa and the world at large for Ghana or Africa to be taking sides in what is quickly becoming a global conflict with dire geopolitical consequences. Africa must not be party to any Western or European/Asian geopolitical conflicts or proxy wars. As Nkrumah put it – we must face neither east nor west, but forward”, it added.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini