Speak against unconstitutional term limits – President Akufo-Addo to ECOWAS Parliament

President Nana Akufo-Addo has urged Members of the ECOWAS Parliament to speak against the habitual extension of presidential term limits by some leaders in Africa as it provides futile grounds for military coups. He underscored the importance of Parliament as the people’s representatives which cannot be underestimated and must not be undermined. Therefore, Parliament as an organ of government is better suited to ensure democratic accountability by maintaining checks and balances on the Executive.

“We cannot emphasize enough the role of Parliament in exercising the checks and balances needed on the Executive. We cannot emphasize enough the role of Parliament as the voice of the people. And we cannot emphasize enough the role of Parliament in setting the tone for public discourse in our respective countries.”

He further called on ECOWAS Parliamentarians to develop the capacity needed to insist on accountability in all aspects of society which should not backslide on its support for democratic values that are anchored on the promotion of the rule of law and respect for human rights; Parliament must also insist on the shortest period of transition from a military government in the aftermath of military coups especially as it happened in the Sahel where the military have become reluctant to restore power for civilian rule.

President Akufo-Addo, before opening the high-level parliamentary seminar on the challenges of unconstitutional regime change and presidential term limits in West Africa in Winneba, alluded that democracy in West Africa is in danger and he placed the responsibility on political leaders to work harder to entrench the principles of democratic accountability in the citizenry. According to him, there are three threats facing democracy, which include: the attempted confiscation of democracy by elites who use legal means to manipulate constitutional roles and subjugate democratic institutions, emerging militarization of governance through coups, and the wanton desire to destroy democracy by turning to armed criminal gangs to establish lawlessness in the absence of freedom in the sub region.

Source: Frank Bruce – Winneba