Ghana launches ‘ECOWAS for All’ awareness campaign

The Ghana Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched the ‘ECOWAS for All’ campaign, a national initiative designed to increase public awareness of the rights, policies, and opportunities provided by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister James Gyakye Quayson stated that the campaign aims to bridge the gap between regional policy and public awareness. He noted that while ECOWAS has facilitated free movement and regional trade, many citizens, particularly traders and entrepreneurs, remain unaware of specific benefits such as visa-free travel for up to 90 days and the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, which allows certain regional goods to cross borders without import duties.

The initiative, scheduled to run through December 2026, will utilize a citizen-centered approach. Planned activities include stakeholder forums, media outreach, student workshops, and direct engagement at major markets like Makola and Madina, as well as border areas such as Aflao and Elubo. Ambassador Khadija Iddrisu, Chief Director of the Ministry, emphasized that the campaign seeks to transform ECOWAS from a ‘Community of States into a Community of People’ by gathering feedback from citizens to inform future policy implementation.