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West Africa border officials blamed for torpedoing ECOWAS
protocol on movement
Aflao, May 30, Ghanadot/GNA
- Participants at a day’s forum
on the ECOWAS Protocol on the free movement of people and goods
have criticized sub regional border officials for harassment and
extortions in contravention of the ECOWAS agenda.
This and lack of political will by regional leaders, the
participants contended, are the burdens that must be off-loaded
towards the realization of the intentions of the protocol to
achieve rapid economic well-being of the sub-region and its
citizens.
Participants therefore appealed to the ECOWAS leadership and the
various organizations to live up to the task of actualizing
ECOWAS trade liberalization.
The forum on the theme, “the ECOWAS protocol on the free
movement of people” was organized by the Open Society Initiative
for West Africa (OSIWA) in collaboration with the West Africa
Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) to coincide with the 34th ECOWAS
Day celebration which fell on May 28.
It was to engage key implementers and stakeholders in the
protocol at the grassroots levels in conjunction with the media
to create awareness towards the building of a local capacity.
Mr Emmanuel Impraim, Assistant Commissioner of Customs Excise
and Preventive Service (CEPS) Aflao conceded that non-adherence
to agreed protocol by member states and non-compliance of
nationals to approved procedures and smuggling and tax evasions
remained obstacles to the implementation of the protocol.
He was speaking on the role of the CEPS in implementing the
protocol.
Mr Impraim stated however stated that Ghana Customs had been
consistent with the implementation of the protocol on trade
liberalization since its introduction about 20 years ago.
That consistency he said were in the areas of printing of Custom
documents consistent with ECOWAS requirement, the Ghana Customs
Tarrif Book, reduction of duties, harmonization of Custom
regimes in line with the World Custom Organization and the Kyoto
Convention on the standardization and harmonization of
procedures and the free movement of vehicles.
Mr Impraim called for a stronger political will for full
implementation of all ECOWAS protocols, education of the public
on their rights and responsibilities that are needed for a
smooth implementation of the protocols.
Mr Mathias Homey, Commander in-charge of Ghana Immigration
Service (GIS) Aflao, speaking on the Sub-Regional Immigration
procedures said despite the protocol on free movement, citizens
still required valid travel documents to travel across borders
in the sub-region.
He said the GIS is at war with extortion and harassment and
appealed to the public to assist in cleansing the system by
promptly reporting any deviant personnel from the Service who
extorted money or harassed them for action.
Miss Gertrude Adu Yeboh, an executive member of WACSOF urged
ECOWAS citizens to get interested in the goal of creating a
borderless ECOWAS with enormous economic benefit for all.
GNA
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