Call to be more creative about regional integration

Ghana’s minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hannah Tetteh, has stressed the need for people in the West African sub-region to be more creative about regional integration to have the opportunity to attract more investors to West Africa.

Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama is the current chairman of ECOWAS.

According to reports, the Ghanaian minister said most people within the sub-region have not realized the relevance of ECOWAS, because governments have not operationalized the structures for its effectiveness and efficiency.

Speaking on the theme: “Enhancing Public Sector Participation in the ECOWAS Regional Integration Process,” said there is the need to work towards “an ECOWAS of People and not ECOWAS of Governments.”

“Therefore, it will be appropriate for people in the sub-region to review and see what they can do differently to move ECOWAS forward”, she said.

Ms Tetteh called for collaborative efforts to deal with the challenges facing ECOWAS Integration, since its establishment 39 years ago, and overcome them to make it effective.

She noted that most of the ECOWAS protocols have not been implemented as required.

She also pointed out that there are many security challenges, especially at a time of increased terrorist activities, which are affecting several countries the sub region.

“I dream of the realization of the unity of Africa, whereby its leaders combine in their efforts to solve the problems of this continent. I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all our great wildernesses.”

Nelson Mandela