Kwesi Pratt Jnr: Is The Ghana Army Psychologically & Politically Prepared For The Malian War?
According to Kwesi Pratt Jnr. is the Ghana Army psychologically and politically prepared for the Malian war?. He said there will be no need for Ghana to feel compelled to send troops to Mali because there are other countries that are not sending troops. Many people have stood against the decision of Ghana sending troops to Mali per a request from the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS). Some say there will be repercussions while others feel it is none of our business to interfere in the affairs of other countries. Ghana is joining ECOWAS troops from Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso and other African countries to Mali to support other peace-keepers as they fight against Islamic rebels in Northern part of the country. Speaking as a panelist on Peace FM’s morning show ‘kokrokoo’ programme on Friday with host Tweneboa Kodua (TK), Kwesi Pratt Jnr. indicated that unlike the notion that the troops are undergoing a peace keeping operation, ‘it is an actual combat to claim something’. “They (Islamic rebels) have already warned other countries not to assist Mali in fighting; if they do, they will be attacked. France helped and they were told that they have opened the gates of hell; meaning they will be attacked…I wonder if Ghana is ready for this battle,there is no need for us to invite any unnecessary hatred. Many African countries have said they will not go. Looking into the future I don’t think this will yield any good fruits” he told Peace Fm. According to him, Ghana should have entered into ‘negotiations; applying the principle of self determination because the Tuareg rebels have legitimate grievances’.
Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has asked government to ‘think twice’ before sending troops to Mali.
