The Chief of Staff of the deposed President of Niger, Djibo Takoubokoye Daouda has arrived in Ghana.
It is not clear why Daouda is in Ghana according to TV3 host Portia Gabor who reported on the Midday News of Friday, August 18. However, it comes at a time the President of Niger, Mohammed Bazoum, has been taken hostage by the army in the coup.
It 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 was preceded by a decision taken by the Heads’ Authorities of State and Governments of the ECOWAS Economic Community to reactivate an emergency reserve force in crisishit West Africa. Initially, the West African bloc had issued a seven day ultimatum to General Abdourahamane Tchiani’s military dictatorship to sack President Mohamed Bazoum. The Authority decided to explore other possibilities, including the possibility of an intervention stand by force, when the deadline expired on Thursday 10 August 2010 in Abuja, Nigeria.
He’s called on the military chiefs to send a signal that there are no longer days when coup makers have been supported by ordinary people. 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: Ghanaweb
