LET'S OBSERVE ECOWAS PROTOCOL (D/G, Saturday, March 28, 2009. SPREAD)

The Secretary General of the West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF), Mr Oumar N’dongo, has called on governments of member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to ensure the full implementation of regional protocols.
He noted that weaknesses in the implementation of the protocols on free movement of persons, residence and establishment would affect business operations in the sub-region and hinder the creation of a borderless ECOWAS region.
Mr N’dongo made the call in a speech read on his behalf by Ms Bashiratu Kamal at a rally held at the Paga Border in the Upper East Region to create public awareness about the free movement of ECOWAS citizens.
The function was organised by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa(OSIWA) and other major stakeholders, including the Abusua Foundation, National Union of Ghana Students, Ghana Youth Network, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), Ghana Police Service, Immigration Service and the Ghana Education Service.
Mr N’dongo said despite the adoption of the protocols and other regulations to further strengthen the creation of a borderless ECOWAS, travelling within the ECOWAS sub-region is extremely difficult, on account of the ever-increasing number of illegal barriers and roadblocks, and the extortion of money from travellers at every checkpoint.
“We are not oblivious of the possible abuse of the protocols by some security agencies, such as the possible smuggling and operations of prostitution syndicates, drug rings and other forms of organised crimes. However, this must not take our focus from the goal of creating a borderless ECOWAS.
He noted that the economic benefits surmounts the threats posed by other anti-social issues and therefore stressed the need for all citizens in the sub-region to support the agencies that are mandated to implement the protocols, and educate the people on their benefits.
Mr Baffour Addo, Business Manager of Abusua Foundation, was optimistic that the rally would help in sensitising stakeholders at all levels to the free movement of people in the ECOWAS sub-region.