Good to Talk! More thoughts on Togo, ECOWAS

I talked to K about thirty minutes ago; she sounded a bit despondent. Not surprising in the wake of things going down in her home country of Togo. But I was also very interested to hear her speak Twi--practically fluently. And here's me thinking I speak Fanti very well.

My god, the lady is good!

And she sounds like a very personable person on the other side of the phone, too. She gave me my first praise today-- that I had made her feel good.

Nice to know that I have made a contribution in someone's life today!

Isn't that what life, ultimately, is all about?

M called me a "darling" for showing concern about her plight.

Nice...

well, you know, what can I say? Maybe members of the opposite sex do appreciate me more than I think they do...

The situation with Togo is distressing, but on the same day that Accra Metropolitan Assembly is trying to get rid of hawkers on the street, I guess we can exercise our minds on things other than the international-regional-national crisis that will be Togo for some time to come...

ECOWAS is in there. That's the most important thing. Secondly, do we Ghanaians feel safe That's the second important point; anad finally, what is the government of the day trying, or doing to ensure that there's a degree of rationale and balanced judgement on the whole issue.

Sure, Ghanaians are even condemning the fact that Ghana was present at the swearing-in, but it's good that these things are happening. I believe they can only help fortify the democracy that is still fledgling in this great country, plus help serve to remindTandja (Niger Chair of ECOWAS) et al that ECOWAS needs to continue setting precedents by maintaining its conflict prevention agenda.

latest from CITI-FM97.3 website:

World Leaders Condemn 'coup' in Togo
By CITI NEWS TEAM
Posted: 07/02/05 11:00 GMT

The Togolese army is facing mounting international criticism after it hastily swore in Faure Gnassingbe, a son of veteran President, Gnassingbe Eyadema to succeed him on his death.

Less than 24 hours after the announcement that Eyadema had died while being flown to France for emergency medical treatment, Togo's leadership was condemned by the pan-continental African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), while the European Union (EU), warned that any unconstitutional actions could threaten relations.

ECOWAS Executive Secretary, Dr. Ibn Chambas in an interview with CITI NEWS, said the sub regional grouping did not support the transfer of power.

European Union Aid Commissioner, Louis Michel called on Togo's leaders to respect the constitution warning, otherwise its ties with the EU could suffer.

He added that anything else could only bring into question the country's stability, internal political dialogue, as well as the prospect of improvements in relations with the European Union.

The EU, a key aid contributor to Togo, partially resumed diplomatic ties with Togo last November, after cutting off cooperation with Lome in 1993, because of violence and lack of democracy. But the EU has made it clear that continuing improvements in ties is linked to plans to hold elections this year.

The man who under the constitution should have been named interim President, Parliamentary Speaker, Fambare Natchaba Ouattara, was reported to be heading towards the country's land border with Benin, having been prevented from returning to Togo by plane after the army sealed the borders and airports.

AU Commission President, Alpha Oumar Konare, described the events in Togo as a seizure of power by the military.

Olusegun Obasanjo, who is the President of Nigeria and the current Chairman of the African Union (AU), said through a spokeswoman, the AU did not accept an "unconstitutional transfer of power" in Togo.

South African President, Thabo Mbeki, while expressing condolences for the death of Eyadema, also urged the country to "return to constitutional provisions governing succession of the head of state".

French President Jacques Chirac, said France is totally in agreement with the condemnation of the AU of any form of coup by force in the former French colony.

In a statement issued in Niger, President Mamadou Tandja, who is the current Chairman of the 15-member ECOWAS, voiced his "deep concern at the take-over by the Togolese armed forces, which violates the constitution".

from: http://www.ghananewstoday.com/news/politics/feb7-n.php