Ken Agyapong supports sending of soldiers to Niger

The Member of Parliament for Assin Central Constituency, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, who is also the Chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee of the House, has backed the sending of Ghanaian troops to Niger in case the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) activates military invasion.

The West African sub-regional body has asked member states to form a stand-by force as an option to resolving the crisis in Niger.

The bloc wants President Mohamed Bazoum released from house arrest and reinstated as the constitutionally-elected head of state.

Ecowas’ Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff is scheduled to meet in Accra on Thursday, August 17 to decide the way forward on restoring constitutional order in Niger.

Speaking in an interview on TV3‘s New Day on Wednesday, August 16, Mr Agyapong, who was a member of the Ecowas Parliament, said the action by a combined West African force will serve as a deterrent to other states in the sub-region.

“We have an obligation as Ecowas countries and you cannot run away from it,” he said.

For him, the action “should serve as a deterrent because coups d’etat is becoming rampant in Ecowas so we should use Niger to serve as a deterrent and say anybody who tries again, Ecowas will come after them and this is not the first time”.

He valued high Ghana’s contribution of troops to the force, saying the country remains an important member of Ecowas.

“In fact, the second most important country in West Africa is Ghana. I’ve been an Ecowas member [of Parliament] before so it is an obligation.”

He stressed that coups should not be countenanced in the sub-region as they are becoming one too many.

“If we make a mistake and we allow coups d’etat all over West Africa, tomorrow it will be me and you and the first thing is that the two of us will go to jail first before anybody,” he told host Roland Walker.

“They will dissolve Parliament, they will arrest journalists, check all the coups. So, the security of this county is very very important and no matter the amount of money prevention is better than cure. Prevention will not cost you as much as you are curing it.”