A pressure group known as the Socialist Forum of Ghana has described the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as a useless body in the sub-region. The group explained that since the election which resulted in Ivory Coast’s political clashes between supporters of opposition leader Alhassane Ouatarra recognized by the international community, and self-imposed president Laurent Gbagbo, ECOWAS has not made any key interventions to salvage the political turmoil in that country. ECOWAS had earlier defended France’s role in the capture of Gbagbo. A member of the Socialist Forum Akwasi Adu in an interview with Adom News said members of the group are demonstrating on the streets of Accra to register their displeasure over how and why Gbagbo was captured by the French army instead of rebels backed by Alhassane Ouatarra. The Socialist Forum dismissed assertions that the demonstration is ill-planned as Gbagbo was captured only Monday, adding the demonstration was planned 10 days ago. He noted that the capture of Gbagbo by the French army is a pure neocolonial regime. Mr. Adu noted that the group will not present a petition to any government official because the president and his Foreign Affairs Minister have been making contradictory statements with regard to the unrest in Ivory Coast. The Socialist Forum questioned why the western powers should impose Alhassane Ouatarra on the electorates and also force Gbagbo out of office. He maintained that the November 2010 election was full of electoral fraud, as western powers swung the election in favour of Alhassane Ouatarra. “Bahrain, Yemen and Oman have all embarked on political uprising, but no western powers have invaded those countries so why should Africa’s own be an exception” Akwasi Adu bemoaned. He added that it is time Africans rose up to defend their sovereignty. Story by Akuamoah Boateng/Adom News/Ghana