The Coalition for Democratic Accountability and Inclusive Governance (Citizens’ Coalition) has reiterated the calls by President Akufo-Addo and former President John Dramani Mahama to the military to respect the constitution and not take advantage of the current economic crisis to seize power.
According to the Coalition members, who are astute academicians and policy analysts, although they want something drastic to be done about Ghana’s dying situation, the military should not stage a coup d’état, as that action would vehemently be rejected by the people.
The coalition’s members, which include; Prof Takyiwaa Manuh, Dr. Asante Pumpuni, Kofi Bentil and Ato Banful said countries in the West African sub-region where the military overthrow their governments have nothing good to show for it, and neither has Ghana’s experience been an exemplary one.
At a press conference in Accra, last week, the group said what they required is an immediate resignation of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta.
Kofi Bentil, in a stern voice, said the president should not allow the constitution to be overthrown and noted that though “there are several musings and suggestions that what we may need is a military coup, it’s never a solution and I think it has been explained here.
And we would like to send this message that if anybody attempts that, we will be the same people to fight you down. We have been there and done that it has not solve any problem. There is nothing that makes a man holding a gun wiser than the one holding nothing.
“We have problems and would work through them constitutionally, which is why we are saying if the President cannot give us enough ideas, there are ways in the constitution to ask him to resign or to force him to resign, either through parliament or through demonstrations.
And like was said here, none of us here is afraid of demonstrations, we have track records in demonstrations but we are going at this properly.”
Prof Takyiwaa Manuhon her part stated that the assumption by some young people that coup d’état is a solution to the current situation should be scrapped, since it has never been a solution.
“A few days ago, some young people were also talking about military coup as a solution, and we are saying that beyond the charter and proclamations, who can convince any of us in this room that anybody in the military has any better solutions to the current situation than all the civilians, etc …I think that it is not the job of the military to be in government.
“So really, I think that we don’t see the military and I believe that there are many people in the military who also don’t see themselves as coup leaders or national leaders. Certainly, they are citizens, they have voices and they are entailed to also have their opinions on what is happening. But the solution is not for them to take over power, we will not advocate it. It has been tried, it did not work. That time is past.”
Ken Ofori Atta Must Go
The Coalition further rehashed a proposition held by a greater section of the public, including both sides of Parliament that, the Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta must resign.
“We endorse the call by many citizens, the majority of NPP MPs and many well-meaning Ghanaians who have asked for the dismissal of the Finance Minister and his Deputies. We commend the Majority MPs for taking this important step, as his dismissal or resignation would restore some confidence in Ghana’s financial market. This should be done without delay,” the Citizens’ Coalition echoed.
According to the group, the Finance Minister is under pressure for supervising one of the most dreadful and direful financial difficulties in the country’s history. Kofi Bentil, in particular, said Ken Ofori Atta, on principle, must resign his position and should not lead negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) because he never believed in the idea of going to the Bretton Wood institution for a bailout.
Addressing the economic hardship
Although the Coalition says the government’s response to the economic hardship has been woefully ineffective, they suggested to the president to reshuffle his ministers, reduce the size of government and convene a national stakeholder platform for a discussion and citizens’ buy-in into the medium-term development plan for the country, as well as lay the Code of Conduct for Public Office Holders Bill before Parliament for deliberation and passage.
“As we chart a way out of our economic woes through an IMF program, the government must ensure that whatever agreement will be tabled must be citizen-centered, one that reflects the people’s aspirations,” they suggested.
