Lagos - Nigeria — Citizens' sensitization and participation in the design and execution of ECOWAS programmes are critical to the success of regional integration efforts, the Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Toga McIntosh affirmed in Lagos on Tuesday 18th September 2012.
"We are strongly convinced that with enlightened, mobilized, proactive and engaged citizens interacting in our 15 Member States, in a sustainable manner, our collective goal of regional integration will be achieved," he affirmed. Speaking on behalf of the President of the Commission, His Excellency Kadre Desire Ouedraogo at the opening a three-day ECOWAS Sensitization Campaign, Dr. McIntosh said this was in line with the transformation from "an ECOWAS of States to an ECOWAS of Peoples." "ECOWAS Vision 2020 is clear in its intention," he said. "Together, we want to create a "borderless, peaceful, prosperous and cohesive region.
Through this Vision, our leaders reaffirmed their collective belief that effective development can only be realized through regional integration." According to the Vice-President, the key challenge before the Commission's new management, Governments of Member States, the Private Sector and those in partnership with West Africa is that of finding solutions to issues related to good governance, regional security, infrastructure development as well as acquiring the required capacities and greater opportunities to access and harness the enormous resources in the region. He charged the participants to play the role of ECOWAS envoys with information acquired during the three days of interaction to make many Nigerians and non- Nigerian actors within the country more knowledgeable about the Community and thereby grasp on the available opportunities for sustained growth and self- development.
"If you leave from here equipped, and with the zeal to carry forth our joint message, you would have played an important role in enhancing citizen awareness. You would have also played a supportive role in the mobilization and consolidation of our West African Citizens' participation in the collective march towards a sustainable development process within the ECOWAS Community," the Vice President added. Opening the Sensitization Campaign on behalf of Nigeria's Minister of State II Foreign Affairs, Honourable Nurudeen Muhammed, the Under-Secretary, Economic and Consular affairs in the Ministry, Ambassador Kabir Garba, lauded the efforts by ECOWAS and Member States to create a single economic space with a huge, homogenous, intra-regional market through the harmonization of trade polices, customs codifications, and standardization of payment systems. He noted that these and other integration efforts such the adoption of common tariffs would expedite regional economic growth and lead to the realization of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals and the attainment of an ECOWAS of people as against an ECOWAS of states.
In his presentation, the ECOWAS Acting Director of Communication, Mr. Sunny Ugoh, took participants through ECOWAS Principles, Goals, Objectives, Institutions, Role of ECOWAS in Conflict Resolution. Other presentations will include those on the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Community Parliament, the Directorate of Free Movement of Persons, Goods and Services, the Nigerian Immigration Service, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), West African Health Organization (WAHO), West African Monetary Institute (WAMI), ECOWAS Trade Department, the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulation Authority (ERERA) and the Inter-Governmental Action Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), among others.
There will also be representation and discussions on the Role of Journalists in Regional Integration, the ECOWAS Trade Liberation Scheme (ETLS) and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations between ECOWAS and the European Union. Also in attendance at the opening was the Director/Head of ECOWAS National Unit, Nigeria, Mr. Ali Ocheni, joint sponsors of the Campaign with the ECOWAS Communication Department.
