Ghana president leaves for mediation talks in Burkina Faso

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama left here Wednesday for neighboring Burkina Faso to help restore that country onto the transitional path, a release from the presidency announced.

This follows a decision by the West African sub-regional body ECOWAS to ensure the reinstatement of the transition process in Burkina Faso.

Mutinous presidential guards last Thursday announced their takeover of government from the transitional team put in place last year with support from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Discussing the political crisis at their Extraordinary Session in Abuja, Nigeria, on Tuesday, the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government adopted a communique that strongly condemned the attack by the presidential guards against the transition team.

The leaders selected and tasked a High Committee of Heads of State and Government comprising Presidents Mahama of Ghana, Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin, Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, and the Chair of ECOWAS, President Macky Sall of Senegal, to work at restoring the transitional process in Burkina Faso.

The High Committee is to ensure the reinstatement of Transition President Michel Kafando and convey the solidarity of ECOWAS to the Burkinabe people..."

"The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to the principles contained in the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and the legal instruments of the African Union," the release stated. Endit