President Akufo-Addo has expressed his disappointment over the unfortunate choice made by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Akufo-Addo, a former ECOWAS chair said the decision would affect the people in those countries.
He also indicated that they were yet to meet to ascertain the impacts of their withdrawal and the way forward.
“This unfortunate decision by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to withdraw from the ECOWAS community is going to be very negative for the populations there. But ECOWAS is yet to meet.”
“It happened on Sunday, and we are waiting for a signal from the head, Nigerian President Tinubu, to indicate the time when we will have a summit to examine the implications of what has happened and the way forward for the community,” he stated.
Exit
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso last week announced they are leaving the ECOWAS.
The junta-led countries had already been suspended from the bloc, which has been urging them to return to democratic rule.
The three governments said it was a "sovereign decision" to withdraw from Ecowas.
They were also founding members of the bloc, first established in 1975.
In a joint statement - that was read out on state broadcasters in the three countries - they said Ecowas had " drifted from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of Pan-Africanism."
It goes on to say that Ecowas "under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, has become a threat to member states and peoples," adding that the bloc had failed to help them tackle the jihadist violence in their countries.
Relations between the bloc and the three countries have been tense after military coups took place in Niger in July, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Mali in 2020.
Ecowas has called on all three countries to return to civilian rule.