Posted by Chester Morton / Wednesday 30 March 2016 / No comments
Ghana's contribution toward the activities of ECOWAS
HOW GHANA
CONTRIBUTES TOWARD THE ACTIVITIES OF ECOWAS
Financial Contribution
All member-states are obliged to
pay annual subscriptions to the ECOWAS to make its administration run smoothly. As a member, Ghana makes her regular annual
financial contributions to the organization in the form of dues and other financial obligations.
Contribution of Troops
Ghana has contributed to the
ECOWAS project by sending troops to assist in peace-keeping missions in the
sub-regions. For example, Ghana contributed troops to the operations of the ECOWAS
Monitoring Group in the 1990s to restore and maintain peace in Liberia and later in
Sierra Leone.
Provision of chair of ECOWAS
Ghana on many occasions provided chairmen for ECOWAS. Three former Presidents of Ghana have ever been chairmen of ECOWAS. They were former presidents Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kuffour and Atta Mills of blessed memory. As chairmen of ECOWAS, these three former presidents of Ghana provide a sterling leadership for the community.
Joint Projects
Over
the years, Ghana has entered into joint-venture projects with other
member-states. Ghana has joined forces with Cote D'ivoire to
inter-connect their power supply lines. This is to ensure that when
there is any shortage of electricity in either country, that country can
receive supply from the other. Ghana also collaborated with Nigeria
through Benin and
Togo to complete a pipeline to transport gas from Nigeria to power Ghana
for the production of electricity.Another project is the Abidjan Lagos
high way
Contribution of Human Resource
Many
Ghanaians have found employment with the ECOWAS Commission
headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria. Apart from that, some prominent
Ghanaians have held very crucial positions in the community. For
example, Dr. James Nti, was once a Deputy
Executive Secretary of ECOWAS. Again Mr. S.K. Apea, was a former head of
the
ECOWAS Fund. Many other Ghanaians have been employed at various level
within the ECOWAS Commission.
Attendance and Hosting of Summits
One
other contribution Ghana makes to the ECOWAS is its regular attendance
of summit meetings. At such summits, Ghana has always contributed her
quota to the discussion of the issues at the summit. Apart from
attending summits hosted by other nations, Ghana has also hosted summits
some summits of the
Economic Community of West African States.
Founding fathers
Ghana was at the very first meeting where the treaty of ECOWAS was signed by the 15 initial member states. Ghana can therefore be described as a foundation member of the community.
Support refugees and displaced people
Anytime there is a civil strife or military instability in the neighbouring countries, Ghana has always contributed to the resultant refugee crisis. During the civil strife that erupted in La Cote D'voire after disputes over elections results, some of the Ivorians fled to Ghana for safety and Ghana catered for them. Also refugees from Liberia settled in Ghana for so many years of armed combat until normalcy returned there for them to go back.
Founding fathers
Ghana was at the very first meeting where the treaty of ECOWAS was signed by the 15 initial member states. Ghana can therefore be described as a foundation member of the community.
Support refugees and displaced people
Anytime there is a civil strife or military instability in the neighbouring countries, Ghana has always contributed to the resultant refugee crisis. During the civil strife that erupted in La Cote D'voire after disputes over elections results, some of the Ivorians fled to Ghana for safety and Ghana catered for them. Also refugees from Liberia settled in Ghana for so many years of armed combat until normalcy returned there for them to go back.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1. Discuss six ways in which
Ghana has contributed to the activities of the Economic Community of West
African States.
2. Highlight six contributions of
Ghana toward the growth of the Economic Community of West African States.
