Why No One should Respect The ECOWAS Leadership

Folks, the ECOWAS hasn’t achieved anything worth commending, which explains why what Akufo-Addo is leading it to do is a total flop to be pooh-poohed.

Since its birth in the late 1970’s what has the ECOWAS done to accomplish anything praiseworthy?

Establishing an ECOWAS Parliament based in Nigeria for mere talk-shopping?

Coming out with a grandiose theoretical formula for economic integration (even as each member country sticks firmly to its currency and economic development agenda without regard for the ECOWAS charter)?

Establishing an ECOWAS bank that is bankrupt?

Introducing an ECOWAS passport that facilities cross-boundary crime or the uncontrolled influx of criminals into countries of their choice in the sub-region to do things as they like in violation of the law? Horrible issues regarding immigration?

Gross incompetence in dealing with terrorism in the sub-region?

And many more failures!!

What Akufo-Addo is misleading the ECOWAS to do in the case of Guinea sums up everything.

Absolute failure!! The reality on the ground proves it.

The toppling from office of Guinea’s Alpha Conde by the military isn’t the first instance for ECOWAS to bare its rotten teeth on. It lacks bite.

Neither will it be the last.

For the first time, the ECOWAS is going where the tenets of its own charter don’t synch with its agenda.

Let me land with this major recollection.

When the Liberian crisis cropped up, the level-headed ECOWAS leadership at the time responded by forming ECOMOG to tackle it (even if doing so favoured Charles Ganke Taylor and his National Patriotic Front until his doomsday dawned).

All over West Africa for the past 40 years, soldiers have ousted civilian governments from power without the ECOWAS leadership going the way Akufo-Addo is misleading them to go now.

Just one quick example. When the late Jerry John Rawlings struck, what did the ECOWAS say or do as it is now pursuing against Mali and Guinea?

Truth be told, after being repudiated by the military junta in Mali and Guinea, what will the ECOWAS do next?

Let’s remember that the international community has remained silent. No condemnation by France, the United States, Britain, Germany, etc. Why so?

Meantime, the spate of terrorism persists in the West African sub-region.

Nigeria is left alone to sort it out with Boko Haram; Niger is reeling; Burkina Faso is bleeding.

Which country goes next?

What is the ECOWAS’ plan of action against terrorism?

Too many issues to interrogate, folks. I rest my case for now.

 

By Michael Jarvis Bokor