Ghana will be affected if ECOWAS uses military force to oust Gbagbo – Dogbevi
ECOWAS is not expected to use military force to oust Laurent Gbagbo from power even if diplomatic and political efforts fail.
A Ghanaian journalist Emmanuel K. Dogbevi has suggested that if ECOWAS uses military force there will be a spill-over that would affect Ghana because of the country’s close relations with Ivory Coast.
Mr. Dogbevi, who is the Managing Online Editor of ghanabusinessnews.com made the remarks Tuesday December 28, 2010 when he was asked about the economic effects of the Ivorian situation on Ghana on the BBC World Service programme World Today.
He told the BBC’s Pascale Harter that there is a strong link between Ghana and Ivory Coast. “There are Ghanaians with families living on the other side of the border in Cote d’Ivoire.”
“I do not expect ECOWAS to move an army into Ivory Coast in trying to remove Gbagbo by force since that will escalate the situation and create a more serious condition in the West African sub-region and especially Ghana which shares direct economic links with Ivory Coast,” he said.
He said economic activities have already been affected in some communities in Ghana especially a border town called Gonokrom in the Dormaa Municipality where Customs officials have said that revenue collection has reduced because business activities have fallen drastically due to the political crisis in Ivory Coast.
He also said even though there are no reports of refugees streaming into Ghana at the moment, they are reported to be moving into Liberia, and he fears if violence escalates, refugees might start streaming into Ghana.
His comments come hours before an ECOWAS delegation made up of three Head of States has been sent to Ivory Coast to meet Laurent Gbagbo about a possible peaceful exit from power to allow Alassane Ouattara to take over as the President of the country that produces 40% of the world’s cocoa .
Ivory Coast has been plunged into political turmoil after a November 28, 2010 election run-off which both incumbent Gbagbo and opposition candidate Ouattara claimed to have won. The two men subsequently got themselves sworn into office, leading to a situation of two presidents in Ghana’s western neighbour.
Mr Dogbevi indicated that like many other rich African countries, even though Ivory Coast produces 40% of the world’s cocoa, most of the citizens are poor, because of mismanagement and corruption.
He therefore, suggested that it would not be worthwhile for ECOWAS to take a war to Ivory Coast as it would escalate the situation and push refugees into Ghana.
You can listen to the interview from this recording.
By Ekow Quandzie
My questions to Ecowas state chieves is why they did not send thier so-called Ecowas troops when the rebellion outbroke in sep. 2002? Why is it so urgent to do so now that the “International Community” rushed Ivorians into an unprepared elections where rebels remained armed with their heavy weaponery?
Westerners will always have our pupets president to do whatever will cross their greedy materialistic mind. Africa should speak out and say no to this other coup. We all know that Ouattara did not will anything, that the lawful winner is Laurent Gbagbo. Did we questionned why all western countries are lining up behind Ouattara. It is just because they know he is a hollow african leader, a pupet to say the truth. Ghana should say NO to this military mission in Ivory Coast to oust a true african leader. That’s the only way Africans should get respect from the whole world