Accra, Aug 15, — The ECOWAS Comittee of Four On Sierra Leone today recommended the imposition of stiffer sanctions on the military regime in that country in a to force it to step down. Chief Tom Ikimi, Nigerian Foreign Minister who is Chairman of the Committee, will not spell out the nature of the sanctions but said “it will not be different from what the international community has imposed on other nations.” Chief Ikimi was speaking at a press conference in Accra after a two-day meeting of the Committee. Foreign Ministers of Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea, make up the rest of the group which was set up last June in Conakary, Guinea. The Econmomic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) has already imposed an air, land and sea blockade of Sierra Leone, but Chief Ikimi said further sanctions, the details of which will be worked out be ECOWAS leaders at their summit later this month, will be imposed. He said West African military heads will be meeting next work to access the effectiveness of the blockade which has been broken twice by ships with fuel and rice to the Sierra Leonian port. Chief Ikimi described as “fool hardy” the renewed attacks by Sierra Leonian troops on ECOMOG forces stationed there. “It seems to be a pattern of the elements in Sierra Leone that anythime talks are going on, they attack our men. It did happen while we were in Abidjan …. now it has happened again.” Chief Ikimi did not hope for a protracted engagement of ECOMOG in Sierra Leone as in Liberia but said ECOWAS is prepared to go the distance if need be. “We have the backing of the international community. I hope they will give us the material support as well.” He said ECOWAS was preparing a package that will include the status of the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and its leader, Forday Sankoh. Coporal Sankoh whose forces have joined hands with the military regime is in captivity in Nigeria where he had gone for talks. The military regime has asked his release as a condition for handing over power as demanded by the international community. Last May’s coup which toppled the democratically elected government of Mr Ahmed Tijan Kabbah has been condemned worldwide with the instance that military leaders Major Johnny Koroma hands over to the man he deposed. Major Koroma has refused and insists on staying in power till the year 2001. This has set him on a headlong collision with West African leaders under their regional grouping ECOWAS. The Committee of Four was set up to find ways for an early reinstatment of President Kabba’s government and an early return of peace and security. All members of the Committee comprising Mr Victor Gbeho, Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Amara Essey Foreign Minister of Cote d’Ivoire and Mr Lamine Kamara Foreign Minister of Guinea, attended the Accra meeting.
