Tamale, June 03, GNA – Mr Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has expressed need for the citizenry to acquire more knowledge on the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) to know the benefits and achievements of the community.
He further expressed need for the citizenry to enquire and understand the important role of ECOWAS and the reasons for Ghana to remain one of the pillars in championing its cause in the West Africa sub-region.
Mr Ampratwum-Sarpong made the call during the opening of a two-day Northern Regional sensitisation workshop on ECOWAS Protocols and Conventions in Tamale.
The workshop, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in conjunction with Media Response and the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, was to create awareness amongst various stakeholders and members of the public about the programmes and the activities of the ECOWAS.
It was also to tell the ECOWAS story as a way of understanding its goals to the benefit of ECOWAS citizens.
Mr Ampratwum-Sarpong said ECOWAS was formed in 1975 to promote economic cooperation amongst Member States to collectively raise the living standards as well as promote the economic development of their peoples.
He said ECOWAS had been functioning on four pillars, which were peace and security, developing infrastructure, policy harmonisation to facilitate trade and good governance through regional integration.
Mr Ampratwum-Sarpong urged the Member States of the bloc to pool their resources to develop their comparative advantages and integrate economies to achieve better outcomes by using their resources more efficiently.
Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, Northern Regional Minister said ECOWAS was one of the key organisations in Africa, which had supported in promoting cooperation and development, harmonisation of agriculture, economic, monetary and industrial policies, abolition of trade restrictions and the implementation of infrastructural schemes among its member states towards the progress and development of the sub-region.
He indicated that the government was very committed to the implementation of the various protocols and policies to improve the living standards of the citizenry.
He entreated the public to collaborate with the private sector to brainstorm and come up with constructive ideas to consolidate the efforts and gains of government towards improvement of the economic conditions of the citizenry.
Naa Bapra Kpan-Naa Abukari, Chief of Kpano, who chaired the occasion, entreated ECOWAS stakeholders in Ghana to support the government in implementing all policies of ECOWAS.
GNA