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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged the members of the ECOWAS Parliament to raise their voices against the extension of presidential term limits by certain leaders, a move often employed to solidify their hold on power. He emphasized that such actions tend to breed discontent among the population and create fertile ground for military interventions.
The President stressed the importance of upholding democratic values to ensure governance systems based on the separation of powers, free from corruption, and respectful of the rule of law, individual liberties, human rights, and the principles of democratic accountability and social justice. He made these remarks while addressing the 2nd ECOWAS Parliamentary Seminar in Winneba on September 29, 2023, under the theme, “Challenges Relating to Unconstitutional Changes of Government and Presidential Term Limits in West Africa – Role of the ECOWAS Parliament.”
In line with the theme, President Akufo-Addo called on the parliamentarians to propose measures that would uphold democratic and republican values among political elites and citizens in the ECOWAS Community, ultimately contributing to the peace and stability of the region.
He cautioned against attempts to manipulate democratic processes for partisan political gains, as this can lead to a loss of legitimacy and create social tensions. The President emphasized that democracy is a universal concept with broad applicability and called for unwavering support for democratic values, particularly in regions like the Sahel, where the military sometimes hesitates to restore democratic rule once they have tasted power.
President Akufo-Addo concluded by emphasizing the duty to future generations, urging continued efforts to guarantee the democratic integrity of their respective countries and the establishment of governance systems characterized by the separation of powers, devoid of corruption, and committed to the rule of law, individual freedoms, human rights, and principles of democratic accountability and social justice.
Source:Omanghana.com
