Okoe Boye Urges ECOWAS: Act Against Authoritarianism to Prevent West African Instability!
Bernard Okoe Boye, a former Minister of Health, has called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take a strong stand against leaders who undermine democracy. He warned that entrenched authoritarianism can lead to instability and violent upheaval. His comments came after a terrorist attack in Burkina Faso that killed seven Ghanaian traders. The Ghana Armed Forces flew the survivors home for medical care. Dr. Boye warned that when civilian governments stifle democratic institutions and stay in power for a long time, often by changing the constitution, public anger can lead to sudden unrest. He used the changes in governance in Bangladesh as an example. He said that regional organizations should take bold action to stop authoritarian drift before it turns into a crisis, even though he was against military coups.
