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President Bola Tinubu has praised the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for promoting regional integration.
Tinubu addressed the audience on Tuesday in Accra, Ghana, at the commencement of various events marking the golden jubilee of the regional organization.
According to a statement from presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, Bianca Ojukwu, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, represented the president at the event. inubu, who is also the chairman of the ECOWAS Authorities of Heads of State and Government, affirmed that the bloc has remained faithful to the ambitious vision set by its founders and serves as a beacon of hope for the more than 400 million inhabitants of the region.
“Today, we celebrate many notable achievements that set ECOWAS apart as the most successful regional economic community on the African continent.
In five decades, we have developed one of Africa’s most dynamic free trade zones, promoting intra-regional trade and lifting millions out of poverty,” he remarked.
However, the president acknowledged that the journey in the past fifty years has not been without obstacles.
“We have encountered political turmoil, economic difficulties, infrastructural gaps, and security challenges. Yet, we remain resolute. Despite our collective vision, far too many of our citizens continue to live in poverty, far too many children lack access to quality education, and far too many youths are either unemployed, disillusioned, or compelled to seek opportunities abroad,” stated Tinubu.
He urged ECOWAS members to re-envision the organization as a community of individuals rather than merely a collective of states, emphasizing the need for investment in education, innovation, and skills development to realize Africa’s full potential.
Tinubu also called for enhanced economic collaboration and support for intra-regional trade, emphasizing that collective effort is essential to ensuring that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) serves as a catalyst for true transformation.
President John Mahama of Ghana remarked that citizens of the community should perceive ECOWAS not merely as a bureaucratic entity but as a vibrant organization that is attuned to their aspirations and desires.
He also announced that Ghana would provide 1,000 scholarships to university students across the ECOWAS subregion to increase educational opportunities for the youth in West Africa.
During the inauguration, ECOWAS launched its official Golden Jubilee logo and theme, setting the framework for a year-long series of commemorative activities.
