By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, Dec 16, GNA – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has intensified education on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocols and activities in the Upper East Region.
The day’s workshop was organised in Bolgatanga by the Ministry in collaboration with Media Response, a Civil Society Organisation to sensitise various stakeholders on ECOWAS protocols and conventions, operations, activities on free movement of persons and goods and how people could harness the opportunities created by such activities for economic development.
The workshop also created opportunity for the stakeholders which comprised state and non-state actors to understand and deepen knowledge to appreciate the significant contributions of ECOWAS in promoting regional peace and security, economic growth and sustainable development in the sub-region.
The participants were drawn from the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, heads of departments, security agencies, religious and traditional authorities, market women, youth, teachers, students, civil society organisations, non governmental organisations, and the business community
Addressing participants during the sensitisation workshop, Mr Julius Eli Goka, Deputy Director at the Ministry, explained that the initiative was part of efforts to strengthen the understanding of stakeholders on protocols and conventions of the ECOWAS to enable them contribute to and reap full benefits of the regional integration.
He said it was part of Ghana’s foreign policies to engage with countries in the sub-region not only to promote free movement of people, good and services but promote peace, security and governance.
Therefore, he said, it was imperative for Ghanaians, especially the major stakeholders to understand, appreciate and contribute significantly to deepening cooperation and help implement the protocols for strengthened regional integration and growth.
Mr Samuel Dodoo, the Executive Director of Media Response, said Ghana was a major contributor to ECOWAS, but this had not been noticed by the ordinary citizens.
He said apart from the ECOWAS protocols on free movement of persons, goods and services, there were other signed trade agreements that offered lots of opportunities for economic progression, however, the supposed beneficiaries had limited knowledge on how to harness such benefits.
“Unfortunately, due to lack of knowledge and awareness, there are lots of institutions and individuals having challenges trying to take advantage of situations and also enhance their livelihoods, so this will go a long way to help our students, agencies and traders who are expected to benefit from this protocol,” he said.
In a speech read on his behalf, Mr Stephen Yakubu, Upper East Regional Minister, said the sub-region had a population of about 400 million and it was imperative to build a borderless, prosperous and cohesive region with capacity to harness each other’s endowed natural resources through creation of opportunities for sustainable development.
“We therefore have to chart a path towards real integration in the areas of governance infrastructure, private sector development as well as sustainable environmental practices to bring about the needed development, prosperity and wellbeing of the people,” he said.
Naba Baba Salifu Atamale Lemyaarum, the Paramount Chief of Bongo Traditional Area, lauded the initiative for enlightening them, especially on the ECOWAS protocols on free movement but appealed that in the wake of threats of terrorism, more should be done to protect the porous borders in the region to check suspected criminals who want to destabilize the peace of the country.
GNA