President Akufo-Addo is demanding the strengthening of existing African Union protocols on good governance to sanction civilians who have manipulated their constitutions to extend their stay in power.

According to him, the condemnation and sanctions imposed on military juntas that overthrew elected governments may not achieve much unless the civilian’s Heads of State are held accountable for their inactions that provide grounds for the overthrow.

“Our unity and resolve should send a clear message that coup to coup plotters that coups will never be durable solutions to Africa political economic and security challenge.

“Statements condemning coups alone without corresponding action will, however, achieve little or nothing, as witnessed in recent times. This problem requires collective agreement, effective deterrence, bold action and, equally important, adequate preventive measures,” he said.

Addressing an African Union Security Council dialogue on Unconstitutional Changes on the continent, the President also described as dangerous and unacceptable the desire of a few to use a shortcut to government to exercise power without limit.

“The reappearance of coups in Africa in all forms and manifestations must be condemned by all since it seriously undermines our collective bid to rid the continent of the menace of instability in our constitutional changes in government…,” he said.

He noted that the “unconstitutional regime changes retard a country’s growth.”

He said that “it has taken a long time for consensus for a consensus to emerge in Ghana, and, indeed, in Africa, that the democratic form of governance is preferable, adding that “we should not take it for granted that everybody has accepted democracy as the preferred mode of governance”.