The emergency two-day summit seeks to finalise plans for the deployment of the standby force to Niger.
The West African regional bloc revealed its decision to assemble a standby force while working on other diplomatic means to resolve the crisis in Niger.
ECOWAS had initially given the junta a week’s ultimatum to return the country to constitutional rule or risk military action. Following the deadline, the regional bloc agreed to create a standby force for the military intervention.
Relatedly, Kennedy Agyapong, a flagbearer aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has disclosed his support for the proposed military intervention.
Speaking in an interview on TV3's New Day on Wednesday, August 16, Mr Agyapong, who was a member of the Ecowas Parliament, said the action by a combined West African force will serve as a deterrent to other states in the sub-region.
“We have an obligation as Ecowas countries and you cannot run away from it,” he said.
For him, the action “should serve as a deterrent because coups d’etat is becoming rampant in ECOWAS so we should use Niger to serve as a deterrent and say anybody who tries again, ECOWAS will come after them and this is not the first time."
He valued high Ghana’s contribution of troops to the force, saying the country remains an important member of ECOWAS.
“In fact, the second most important country in West Africa is Ghana. I’ve been an ECOWAS member [of Parliament] before so it is an obligation.”
He stressed that coups should not be countenanced in the sub-region as they are becoming one too many.
“If we make a mistake and we allow coups d’etat all over West Africa, tomorrow it will be me and you and the first thing is that the two of us will go to jail first before anybody,” he told host Roland Walker.
The West African sub-regional body has asked member states to form a stand-by force as an option to resolving the crisis in Niger.
The bloc wants President Mohamed Bazoum released from house arrest and reinstated as the constitutionally-elected head of state.