President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged African countries to strengthen democratic institutions to promote inclusive, accountable, and participatory governance. 

“It is a fight that if it succeeds will bring progress and prosperity to the continent, and that has to be our goal,” he advised. 

In an interaction with the leadership of the Democrat Union of Africa (DUA) at the Jubilee House in Accra, the President stressed that military interventions and regimes were not the solution to the continent’s challenges. 

The Union is convinced that the continent can only reach its full potential if it embraces the ideals of true democracy and promotes and defends human rights.  

It believes in the free market and individual self-initiatives as critical to the growth of African economies, with a focus on developing inclusive societies where justice prevails, voices are heard, and opportunities flourish. 

The President expressed concern about the incidence of military coups, terrorism, and violent extremism in the subregion, citing the ouster of legitimately elected governments in Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. 

“Today, there is a very real danger that the West African economic bloc, ECOWAS, will now be a fractured organisation for the next decade or so if things are not properly handled. 

“And the end result is going to be a continuing upheaval that we are witnessing here in West Africa,” he noted. 

The United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), presenting the Secretary-General’s latest report, called attention to millions of children in the region who lack access to education because many schools had been closed due to instability. 

“Non-state groups are fighting among themselves for supremacy, pushing States to the margin and causing untold misery to millions of people who had to leave their communities to seek safety,” the Office noted. 

Expressing worries over the widespread insecurity in the Sahel, UNOWAS underscored the need for adequate, predictable, and sustainable funding for regional security initiatives. 

The Lake Chad Basin and Central Sahel have emerged as epicentres and incubators of terrorism and violent extremism, as the UN works frantically to combat misinformation, promote inter-communal dialogue, and actively engage in deradicalization and reintegration.  

Scores of democratic advocates and security experts are concerned about the region’s democratic backsliding, condemning all coups and attempted coups, and calling for the restoration of constitutional order in the affected countries. 

“We are going through extremely challenging times in West Africa,” said President Nana Akufo-Addo. 

“ECOWAS, some years ago, considered an oasis of democratic engagement, is today challenged by the spread of military insurrections that have taken place,” he said. 

The President lauded DUA for promoting democratic engagements to foster the rule of law on the continent. 

He welcomed the mission to create an inclusive society where every voice was valued since it was the path to shaping a future of unlimited opportunity for all Africans. 

Ms. Louisa Atta-Agyemang, the Co-Chairperson of DUA, commended Ghana for upholding democratic principles, and the President for being an avowed advocate of human rights.