Niger’s Chief of Staff lands in Ghana

The Chief of Staff of the deposed President of Niger, Djibo Takoubokoye Daouda has arrived in Ghana.

According to TV3’s Portia Gabor who reported on the mid-day news on Friday, August 18, it is unclear why Daouda is in Ghana. However, it comes at a time the President of Niger, Mohammed Bazoum, has been taken hostage by the army in the coup.

The coup in Niger has necessitated West African army chiefs to hold a crunch meeting in Accra, which started Thursday, August 17 and is expected to end today Friday, August 18, to find ways to restore constitutional democracy in that country.

The meeting followed a decision by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States to activate a standby force in the crisis-hit West African nation.

The West African bloc had initially given the military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani a seven-day ultimatum to reinstate Mohamed Bazoum as President.

After the ultimatum elapsed, the Authority decided on Thursday, August 10 in Abuja, Nigeria to explore other options including an intervention by stand-by force.

During day one of the meeting, Ghana’s Minister of Defence Dominic Nitiwul told the army chiefs to be loyal to their heads of state and also to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as measures are put in place to restore democracy in Niger.

He asked the army chiefs to send a signal to the world that the days that coup makers enjoyed the support of the people are over.

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He said “your presence alone sounds and gives me a powerful message to the world that you are united in carrying out the directive of the heads of state and governments of ECOWAS and that after today and tomorrow’s meeting, you will put in place a plan to ensure that a standby force is activated and that democracy will be restored in Niger.

“If Presidential guards in Guinea and Niger take hostage of their president, nobody in West Africa is safe. That is why I urge you to continue to be loyal to heads of state, I urge you, to continue to be loyal to Ecowas directives and to give effects that the days that coup d’etats enjoy the support of our people are over.

“Yes, in a democracy people will agree to disagree, but the vast majority of our people in West Africa are with you, the vast majority of the people of West Africa do not want to be under the difficulties that we are facing today.”

The Niger military junta announced a list of 21 people including two ministers of state and a delegate minister that it said will become ministers in a new government.

The new government was announced on state TV at 00:30 GMT (01:30 local time) with the pronouncement of new cabinet members.

Source:3news.com