Ecowas Must Become More Accessible to Ordinary Citizens- Gyakye Quayson
The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr James Gyakye Quayson, has called for greater public awareness of the benefits and opportunities provided by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
He said regional integration would only succeed when ordinary citizens understood and actively benefited from ECOWAS policies and programmes.
Mr Quayson made the call in Accra on Thursday when he launched the ECOWAS for All National Citizens Engagement and Public Sensitisation Campaign.
He said although ECOWAS had contributed to the free movement of people and goods, regional trade, peace and security, democracy and infrastructure development, many citizens still viewed the organisation as distant and abstract.
According to him, many traders were unaware of the opportunities available under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, while entrepreneurs, students and other citizens remained unfamiliar with opportunities within the regional bloc.
He said the campaign was therefore designed to bridge the gap between ECOWAS policies and citizens’ understanding of their rights and opportunities.
“Regional integration cannot succeed if it is discussed only in conference rooms and government offices. It must be understood, embraced, and actively supported by the very persons whose lives are intended to be improved through the implementation of ECOWAS protocols,” he said.
Mr Quayson said the campaign would engage directly with citizens through market sensitisation activities, border community engagements, media outreach and student workshops.
He mentioned Makola Market, Madina Market, Aflao and Elubo border communities as some of the areas targeted for the engagements.
He said the interactions would also give traders, transport operators and community members the opportunity to raise concerns about customs procedures, documentation and border processes.
The Deputy Minister said the feedback would help policymakers and implementing agencies address challenges affecting the implementation of ECOWAS protocols.
He reminded Ghanaians that citizens could travel to ECOWAS member states without a visa and stay for up to 90 days, subject to the required travel documents and an international vaccination certificate.
He also said goods that qualified under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme were expected to cross borders without import duties.
Mr Quayson urged citizens to become informed participants in the regional integration process and called on government institutions, development partners, educational institutions and the media to support public education on ECOWAS.
He said the campaign should help citizens understand not only what ECOWAS was, but also what the regional organisation could do for them and what they could contribute to its success.
The campaign was under the theme “Bringing ECOWAS Closer to the Citizens, Promoting Awareness, Participation and Opportunities for Regional Integration.”
Joyce Adwoa Animia Ocran, ISD
