Coup d’etats in Sub-Saharan Africa
Since 1960, nine coups have occurred in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries.
In 2021-22, four coup d’états took place in Chad, Guinea, Mali and recently, Burkina Faso.
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Equatorial Guinea was saved by the bell after some destruction of life and property by coup makers and security forces loyal to the government.
These recent upheavals seem to suggest a reversal of a long tradition, which like a creeping plant, has spread across many countries in the post-colonial era within the sub-region.
The reasons for the coups are normally justified with the connivance of disgruntled politicians against the backdrop of civil discontent as a result of the governments’ inability to provide basic services, uphold democratic norms and worsened economic situation perceived to have been perpetuated by the corruption of the political class.
No justification
I think there is no justification for coups and also do not believe that coups are panacea to solving the socio-economic problems of Ghana and other countries in the sub-region.
Over the past years within the sub-region, the performance of many past coup regimes have been a total failure, if not a disaster both economically and socially.
In Ghana, we garnished the previous coups with a revolution which subjected the nation to such inhuman treatment and economic difficulties never experienced. Ghana was saved by the international community which compelled the revolutionary leaders to hand over power reluctantly to an elected civil government under a democratic dispensation.
The revolutionary Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) metamorphosed into a political party National Democratic Congress (NDC) to pursue the revolutionary agenda and succeeded to poison the new political dispensation. Consequently, today Ghana is polarised with two political parties, one pursuing the revolutionary agenda and the other democracy.
The country has still not recovered from the socio-economic disasters of the revolution; and politically, the ‘hung Parliament’ of Ghana today as a result of the last election has brought to the fore the challenges we face in a developing democracy.
Recent developments in Parliament obviously confirm that Ghana has a long way to go in the democratic development.
If you are a Ghanaian, civilian or a military officer, you will observe that the country is going through crisis, politically and economically, and this is not the time to indulge in the frivolity of a coup d’état because we have experimented it several times.
Saviour mentality
All coup leaders are possessed with a ‘saviour mentality’, but sooner or later when the challenges begin to unfold, they simply crumble.
The fact of the matter is that no matter how good the intentions, coups seldom achieve their objectives or improve the socio-economic situation of the respective countries, otherwise countries in the SSA would have developed by now considering the number of coups that have been done.
The failure of coups stem from the fact that after achieving the immediate objective of removing the governments, the military, for lack of expertise and competence to manage the various sectors of the economy, are compelled to surrender governance to the civil servants and technocrats who manipulate the new won power to achieve their own objectives.
Consequently, what the coup leaders sought to achieve is seriously undermined or compromised.
In the final analysis, it is not worth a dime for any officer worth his salt to risk his life to overthrow a government only to hand over the power to unscrupulous politicians and civilians who will not be held responsible for the coup, but will use the opportunity to amass wealth and prepare themselves to form the next government.
The British, our colonial masters, bequeathed to Ghana a professionally trained, motivated and patriotic Armed Forces (GAF) after independence. Unfortunately, the numerous coups after 1966 and the Revolution virtually destroyed the military discipline and esprit de corps of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The politicisation of the GAF as a result of direct recruitment of the revolutionary cadres into the various services also had serious repercussions on discipline.
Thus, any coup attempt by any officer using these human resources runs a major risk of failure in the current situation (politicisation and indiscipline of the Armed Forces).
Oath
In appealing to the conscience of all service personnel, let me refresh their memory on the Oath of Allegiance we all take to serve in the Armed Forces.
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“I … do hereby swear that I will bear true and faithful allegiance to the President, Commander in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Ghana and that I will well, truly and faithfully serve the Government of the Republic of Ghana as by law established, and that I will as in duty bound serve in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Ghana and go wherever ordered by land, sea or air and that I will observe and obey all commands of the Government of the Republic of Ghana as by law established and any officer set over me even at the peril of my life. So help me God.’’
You will observe that if you ignore this Oath and take the law into your own hands you are not worthy of the trust reposed in you and should the coup succeed, it has no moral foundation and will surely collapse as seen in previous ones.
Corruption
Corruption is the major contributory factor to the slow development of many countries in the sub-region and has been the major justification for coups and revolutions.
In Ghana, 19 years of the revolution and the struggle to establish “probity, accountability, integrity” all came to nothing and many Ghanaians wished it had never happened.
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The executions, human suffering and socio-economic failures were too many and painful to recount.
In Ghana, corruption has become a way of life for survival by the less affluent in society and for the affluent, a way to sustain their greedy lifestyles.
The fact of the matter is that most Ghanaians are corrupt, and to eradicate corruption from the society is an impossible task.
This is because Ghanaians indulge in it and benefit from it. It is sad that with our experience in coups, some responsible citizens, including parliamentarians, are creating the impression that coups may be the solution to our problems.
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All those with that mentality should bow down their heads in shame.
Constitution
The 1992 Constitution contains fundamental principles which Ghanaians have chosen to be governed by and this document emphatically places the military under civilian control.
The oath of allegiance taken by all service personnel emphasises this important principle and, therefore, it is preposterous for any service person, male or female, to set it aside and engage in any act that will facilitate a coup or take part in a coup.
For any person or group of persons to undertake such an adventurist path, we as citizens have a responsibility to ensure that the coups do not succeed by taking all kinds of civil actions that will impede the progress and necessitate the return of the country to civilian rule.
Yes, whilst the international condemnations of coups are crucial as deterrents to other adventurists, their effects can be maximised if internal vigilance, demonstrations and resistance in any form are undertaken.
I went through all the coups in Ghana during my career and I will never support any coup in place of an elected democratic government in the governance of our beloved Ghana.
To conclude, African governments and their leaders are the only institutions who truly have the power to reverse this worrying trend, and managing the various economies should be done to make coups and other forms of takeovers unattractive, except the chosen path of democracy.
The writer served in the GAF for 30 years, retiring in 1990. E-mail: [email protected]