Awareness of two days to open free movement

Accra, August 1, GNA – A two-day event aimed
sensitize relevant stakeholders and the public about the importance of free
Movements and Migrations in the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) opened in Accra.

The meeting should offer
participants the opportunity to become familiar with the ECOWAS Protocol
on the free movement of persons, residence and establishment.

They will also discover its complementarity
protocols developed some four decades ago, as well as questions relating to the
National biometric identity card of ECOWAS.

A statement read on behalf of Mrs. Shirley
Ayorkor Botchway, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration at the
opening ceremony, said that the movement would strengthen courage, determination and
commitment to the effective implementation of the protocols.

She said the colonial demarcation of borders
rules and regulations applied by national institutions have contributed to
enormously to impede the free movement of people in the region and economic
Activities.

Ms. Botchway stated that these developments had
contributed to the prevalence of poverty and underdevelopment in the region,
hence the reason why West African leaders committed themselves to implementing the policy of
regional, economic and cultural integration since the creation of the
ECOWAS on May 28, 1975.

Despite these protocols, she stated that the
ECOWAS has continued to face challenges that have delayed the updating of the
free circulation envisaged by its founders.

She included the challenges, the lack of
knowledge of rights and responsibilities in free ECOWAS
Circulation protocol and related texts, irregular migration, transnational crime,
extortion, harbadment and lack of valid travel documents.

"After more than six decades of independence from
Member States of ECOWAS, this should not be our story. We should draw a path
towards true regional integration, which should lead to development,
the prosperity and well-being of our people, "she said.

With regard to free movement, the efforts made by
Ghana, Ms Botchway said that the country has so far issued 560,000 people in ECOWAS
ID cards will be operational by March 2020.

"We have also made it easier for people and
goods can move freely throughout the country with the removal of several
security checkpoints on our highways. We are, however, determined to ensure
that the security of our country is not compromised, "she said.

Madam Botchway said to ensure better
public understanding of integration issues and their effectiveness
implementation, his ministry had organized three events for stakeholders and
the general public on the brown map of ECOWAS, and regional and continental
l & # 39; integration.

Mr Tony Luka Elumelu of ECOWAS
Directorate of Free Movement said that the protection of all migrants
traveling through the ECOWAS states was important.

He said that migrants should be protected
abuse, harbadment and exploitation while in one of the ECOWAS countries.
States.

GNA