“We’ll crush anyone who attempts to make coup d’état” – Akufo Addo vows

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has vowed to maintain the country’s peace and stability.

“Let us defend carefully the peace and stability we are enjoying,” he remarked on Sunday, March 6. Some restless spirits among us claim to have lost faith in our democratic system, aiming to exploit present national challenges.

“Either a lack of trust in a democratic alternative to the existing administration or a desire to use executive power drive their hunger for military action.

They seem willing to risk our country’s hard-won reputation as a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa, if not the world, to pursue personal ambitions that show little or no respect for the Ghanaians’ ability to change their government peacefully through the ballot box, as we have done three times in the 29 years of the fourth republic.

We who believe in democratic ideals and institutions will continue to reject these adventurers’ claims and use all lawful democratic methods to preserve our open, free system of government based on human rights, the rule of law and democratic accountability.

Former President John Dramani Mahama’s Executive Secretary, Professor Raymond Atuguba, claimed Ghana’s present economic position makes it ripe for coups.

Some Ghanaians slammed Prof Atuguba for this remark.

According to Professor David Abdulai of the Africa Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption, the factors that led to the fall of legally elected administrations in certain West African nations lately are not the same as in Ghana.

In an interview with TV3, Professor Abdulai remarked, “I don’t believe the conclusion is appropriate to justify what occurred in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso since each nation has its own environment and culture.”

“I don’t believe it’s contextually correct to conclude that in Ghana. If you look at the developmental phases of these nations, I can tell you Ghana is much beyond that.

“Nobody wants a coup d’état because, first, in today’s digital and globalized world, it would severely harm our economy and take years to recover since certain enterprises will not return. Also, Ghana’s brand will be harmed. But in a democracy, such warnings should be heeded.”