[Pak Daily Times] West African presidents tightened the screws on Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo on Saturday, ridding him of an ally at the top of the regional central bank who had safeguarded his access to funds. World powers and African states have been pressing Gbagbo to cede power after a November presidential election that UN-certified results showed he lost to rival Alassane Ouattara, with the regional bank last month announcing it would no longer accept Gbagbo's signature.
But the bank's governor, an Ivorian seen as close to Gbagbo, failed to impose the decision by the bank's ministers and will be replaced, the heads of state from West Africa's single-currency zone announced.
"The conference is concerned about the impact of the non-application of (the ministers') decision on the stability of the economic, financial and monetary system of the union," they said after an emergency summit in Mali's capital. "The conference has taken note of the resignation of Mr Philippe Henri Dacoury-Tabley from his post as Governor of the Central Bank of West African States," the leaders added in a declaration.