A faculty member holding the position of Associate Professor at the University of Ghana School of Law has expressed the belief that unless corruption-related practices and inadequate governance are addressed, West Africa could witness more instances of coups.

Prof. Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua underscored that the region must acknowledge that coup d'états signify not merely unconstitutional endeavors to alter the government, but rather the outcomes of unconstitutional shifts initiated by the ruling authority.

He elaborated that African leaders and incumbent administrations must recognize the existing issues within their governance, encompassing concerns such as corruption and deficient governance.

“More coups may come if we don’t sit up and realise that unconstitutional change in government is not just about coming to power through unconstitutional means but trying to stay in power and trying to foment divisional interest in order to maintain power and rely on corrupt governance to stay in power.”

During an appearance on JoyNews' Newsfile program on Saturday, the professor outlined certain factors that could contribute to the formulation of coup plots. He highlighted that a situation where a government clings to power despite losing an election could also serve as a catalyst for a coup to take place.

“The other is where a government decides to change the constitution in order to stay in power beyond the normal two-term time limit,” he stated.

In light of this, Prof. Appiagyei-Atua emphasized that the prevailing landscape is evolving, underscoring that the assurance of democracy cannot be guaranteed.

He further stated that there is a potential for additional coup d'état instances to arise if West African leaders hastily intervene to depose the junta in Niger and reinstate democracy.

“Now in Niger, the West has come to realise that if we say that we’re just abandoning Niger, then we’re allowing Wagner (group in Niger) to come in and take over.

“US has spent a lot of money in terms of security in Niger and so they want to protect that interest. China is also in Niger and they have their interest to protect so the geopolitics is thickening very fast, especially in West Africa. We need to therefore be very careful about how we tackle this issue and not make a rush decision and say that we are going to Niger to overthrow the government and restore democracy, it is easier said than done,” he said.

He, however, suggested that the West African leaders should adopt a more pragmatic approach that can resolve the coup in Niger and the ones which may come up.