Accra, May 27, Ghanadot/GNA – Civil
society organizations in Ghana have been advised to pressurize
government to initiate the use of the Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS) passport to reduce the stress and
difficulties faced by Ghanaian travellers in countries in the
sub-region.
Mrs Susan Naa Sekyere, Deputy Public Affairs Director, Ghana
Trades Union Congress made the call in Accra at a press briefing
on Wednesday organized by the West African Civil Society Forum (WASCOF)
and stakeholders as part of the celebration of ECOWAS Protocol
on Free Movement.
Currently, Senegal, Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Guinea and Liberia
use the ECOWAS passport.
Mrs Sekyere said treaties had been put in place to overcome the
difficulties and pains West African travellers went through, but
these were not enforced thereby making trade and movement of
people tiresome.
She commended WASCOF for the part they were playing to resolve
the issue and urged stakeholders and law enforcement agencies to
abide by the protocol and play their respective roles
efficiently.
Ms Bashiratu Kamal, Women’s Commissioner of the National Union
of Ghana Students, said their objective was to create awareness
of the protocol adopted by ECOWAS in 1979, relating to the free
movement of persons and goods and the right of residence and
establishment.
She added that they were advocating a no-fee payment at land
borders and to conduct sensitization discussions with border
officials at land or airport posts on ways to ensure greater
fluidity for West African travellers.
Ms Kamal said language, social, political and economic barriers,
absence of adequate mechanisms to control infiltration of
criminals and other human or drug traffickers, lack of
harmonization between national laws and policies with ECOWAS
protocols and decisions among others were the obstacles to the
effective enforcement of the protocol.
She said the campaign would be monitored from its planning,
implementation and finishing stages by the Regional Secretariat
of WASCOF together with Open Society Initiative for West Africa
(OSIWA) and their partners.
The programme funded by the OSIWA is partnered by the Ghana
Immigration Service and Customs, Excise Preventive Service,
among others.
GNA
