Foreign Affairs Ministry Takes ‘ECOWAS for All’ Campaign to Makola Traders

byMavis FanteviOctober 26, 20260 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other government agencies, has taken its ECOWAS for All public sensitisation campaign to Makola Market in Accra to educate traders and other market actors on regional trade opportunities and protocols.

The campaign, held on Friday, October 23, 2026, at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), was organised under the theme, “Bringing ECOWAS Closer to the Citizen: Promoting Awareness, Participation and Opportunities for Regional Integration.”

It aimed to equip traders, transport operators, entrepreneurs and other market participants with practical knowledge of ECOWAS protocols, their rights and responsibilities, and opportunities available within the West African sub-region.

Delivering the keynote address, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Khadija Iddrisu, emphasised the need to educate traders on the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), the free movement of persons, travel requirements and cross-border trade procedures.

She encouraged participants to take advantage of opportunities offered by regional integration and urged them to report challenges encountered in their business activities to enable the relevant institutions to address them.

The Resident Representative of ECOWAS in Ghana, Ambassador Mohammed Lawan Gana, also stressed the importance of ensuring that citizens understood regional protocols and could benefit from their implementation.

He called for sustained collaboration among stakeholders to promote trade, entrepreneurship, youth empowerment and inclusive regional development across member states.

The Vice President of the Ghana Union of Traders Associations (GUTA), Joseph Pardy, commended the Ministry and its partners for the initiative and called for regular public education on ECOWAS protocols.

He further urged citizens to understand their rights and responsibilities while complying with the laws of countries in which they conduct business.

A representative of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, speaking on behalf of the Mayor, welcomed the campaign and encouraged traders to participate actively in the discussions to improve their business operations within Ghana and across the sub-region.

The programme featured interactive sessions that allowed traders to engage directly with representatives of relevant institutions on customs and immigration requirements, cross-border trade procedures, transport regulations and other challenges affecting their businesses.

The sessions also provided participants with an opportunity to seek clarification and obtain practical guidance from the appropriate authorities.

The ECOWAS for All campaign forms part of efforts to bring regional integration closer to citizens by raising awareness of their rights and responsibilities and helping them access opportunities within the ECOWAS sub-region.

As part of the initiative, the team is scheduled to hold another sensitisation programme at the Madina Market in the Greater Accra Region on Thursday, October 29, 2026.

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