Terrorism: None of our countries is insulated – Akufo-Addo cautions Ecowas leaders

Ghana leader Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has charged West African leaders to come together and enforce decisions taken on September 14, 2019 at the Extraordinary Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on terrorism.

He said recent developments in the region should reinforce the collective commitment “to pursue and implement with renewed vigour the decisions taken at [the summit]”.

President Akufo-Addo made these remarks on Saturday, June 19 when he opened the 59th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of Ecowas in Accra.

Heads of state of all the countries in the region, except suspended Mali, are in Ghana’s capital for the summit.

It comes on the back of recent terrorist attacks in countries such as Mali, Nigeria, Niger and Burkina Faso, where about 132 civilians including children were killed a fortnight ago.

Ghana’s President, who is also the Chair of the Authority, intimated that he was in Ouagadougou a few days after the terrorist attack on Saturday, June 5, 2021 to commiserate with the government and people of Burkina Faso “and offer our condolences, sympathies and support”.

But he insisted that the time is up for the implementation of collective measures to staunch terrorism in the sub-region.

“These concerted effort, which must be a major issue and a priority objective for the Community, is the best way for us to address this community challenge.

“It is a matter of dignity and sovereignty which affects all nations in the region. None of our countries is insulated from the threats of terrorists.”

He appealed to countries which have failed to contribute to the Ecowas Security Fund to do so as that will ensure that the fight against terrorism in the sub-region is sustained.

By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|editors.3news.com|Ghana

Follow @kwame_amoh