Pressmen were later told the purpose of the meeting by the duo, was to discuss the December 30 attack on State House by Gambian dissidents from Germany, United States and Senegal. President Mahama told the journalists at the Banjul International Airport shortly before departing the country: “Ghana currently occupies the chair of the Ecowas heads of state and since the incident which occurred here in The Gambia, it was necessary for Ecowas to visit and find out what had happened and to show solidarity with the Gambian people. So as chair of the Ecowas heads of state, I said it was high time I came and spoke with my brother [President Jammeh] and to make sure that everything is okay. Ecowas protocols do not encourage violent overthrow of governments and so we want to remind all member states of the protocols that… that change of government must be through democratic means and as far as possible, we should try and abide by that.”
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