Why some Ghanaians are angry about Akufo-Addo’s silence on #ENDSARS

Aside his paramount role in the ECOWAS, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has played quite pivotal roles in political and governance discourses around the world.

On September 7, 2020 President Akufo-Addo was elected by the 57th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as the new Chairman making him the main representative of the organisation.

Thereby bestowing on him some ample supervisory roles over the affairs of the organisation and its 15 member states.

However, parts of ECOWAS protocols prohibits its members from interfering in the internal affairs of other member states.

In light of this, Ghanaians have refused to accept the president’s choice to keep silent after dozens of unarmed protesters were shot at and killed at Lekki tollgate in Nigeria during the #ENDSARS protest.

While damning the Nigerian government in various ways, Ghanaians have used their power to demand a reaction from Akufo-Addo in his capacity as President of Ghana and not ECOWAS chair.

Why?

This is because the president over the years has been vociferous in various global issues, some of which to a large extent are trivial and have no bearing on affairs in the country.

On April 15, 2019, fire broke out in parts of the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris almost destroying the 850-year-old landmark. Few hours after the incident, President Akufo-Addo sent a solidarity message to the French President, Emmanuel Macron and his people.

Similarly, in June 2020 when George Floyd, an African-American citizen was brutally killed by a white police man, the president did not only demand justice for innocent soul, he also supervised the organisation of a funeral in Ghana for George Floyd.

Aside this, the recent incident which seems to peeve some Ghanaians more, occurred on October 2 2020. Shortly after US President Donald Trump tested positive for coronavirus, the president on behalf of his wife sent hearty wishes to the US President and his spouse. Other African leaders also joined in.

These and others are compounding anger and grief in many Ghanaians; all in solidarities with Nigerians.

Below are some tweets in this regard;

We are not calling on African leaders to tweet we need them to use whatever instrument of diplomacy available to bring what is happening in Nigeria ???????? to an end #pray4nigeria #EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeraNOW

— Ameyaw Debrah (@ameyaw112) October 20, 2020

The ECOWAS chairman was able to condemn the killing of George Floyd and demanded justice for him but cant do same for our brothers in Nigeria. #Lekkitollgate #EndBadGoveranceInNigeria #EndSARS #4MoreForNana #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeraNOW #EndSARSImmediately pic.twitter.com/BU2ZPY6ErH

— Paa Kwesi Nduom (@papakwesi_jr) October 21, 2020

Kwame Nkrumah said we are the gateway to Africa but wanna Ecowas chairman say that one dier ibi between Nkrumah and the rest of our ancestors cos he paa dier he get elections to campaign for.

— KALYJAY ???? (@gyaigyimii) October 21, 2020