The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched a national public sensitisation campaign dubbed “ECOWAS for All” to deepen citizens’ awareness and participation in regional integration.
Speaking at the launch in Accra, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, James Gyakye Quayson, said although ECOWAS has made significant strides in regional peace and security, free movement, trade and cooperation over the past five decades, many citizens remain unaware of the rights and opportunities available to them under various protocols.
He said the campaign seeks to bridge the knowledge gap between ECOWAS policies and the everyday experiences of ordinary Ghanaians.
Mr.Quayson cited visa-free travel within the Community, opportunities for regional trade under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), and the right to reside and establish businesses in other Member States as some key benefits of integration.
He explained that the campaign will adopt a citizen-centred approach, with stakeholder forums, market sensitisation at Makola and Madina markets, border engagements at Aflao and Elubo, media outreach, and student workshops.
According to him, these platforms will allow traders, transport operators, students and residents to raise concerns about customs procedures, documentation and border processes, while providing feedback to policymakers.
He reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to “ECOWAS Vision 2050” and called on traders, transport operators, business associations, schools, the media and state agencies to support the campaign.
Chief Director of the Ministry, Ambassador Khadija Iddrisu, said the campaign represents Ghana’s practical contribution to transforming ECOWAS from a Community of States into a Community of People.
She said the Ministry, in collaboration with relevant MDAs, will take the campaign directly to communities and border areas to educate citizens and listen to their concerns, stressing that feedback from stakeholders will inform efforts to improve implementation of ECOWAS policies.
ECOWAS Resident Representative in Ghana, Ambassador Mohammed Lawan Gana, described the campaign as timely, noting that integration can only achieve its full potential when its benefits are understood and accessible to ordinary citizens.
“ECOWAS is not merely an institution but a community of people whose success should ultimately be measured by the tangible improvements experienced in their daily lives,” he said.
He highlighted opportunities in trade, education, skills development and entrepreneurship, and pointed to initiatives such as the ECOWAS biometric ID system and the SIGMAT automated transit management platform designed to ease movement and trade.
Other speakers included Mr. Ahmed Tijani, Director at the Regional Integration Bureau, who said the campaign will heavily use local Ghanaian languages to ensure deeper penetration of its message.
Deputy Commissioner of Immigration and Head of Operations at the Ghana Immigration Service, Mr. Justice Amevor, stressed the need to strengthen implementation of the Free Movement Protocol, adding that the ECOWAS biometric identity card, known in Ghana as the Ghana Card, was introduced to harmonise travel documents and facilitate free movement.
Secretary-General of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme, Mr. Richard Sarbah Eshun, also sensitised the public on the scheme, which facilitates compensation for victims of cross-border motor accidents.
The launch, held under the theme “Bringing ECOWAS Closer to the Citizen: Promoting Awareness, Participation and Opportunities for Regional Integration,” brought together members of the diplomatic corps, MDAs, ECOWAS institutions, business, civil society, academia and the media.
The campaign is expected to run over the coming months, with engagements aimed at making regional integration a practical reality in the lives of Ghanaians.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme