ECOWAS Migration Advocacy: Language barrier derails free movement - GIS Deputy Commissioner

The Deputy Commissioner of the Ghana Immigration Service, ACI Isaac Oklu says one of the major problems faced by officers along the borders of ECOWAS member states is language barrier.

He explained that Ghanaian officers stationed at the country’s borders face difficulties in engaging with ECOWAS citizens coming into the country; this he said is a result of Ghana being surrounded by Francophone countries.

ACI Oklu called on members of the ECOWAS to pursue policies that will eliminate language barriers between member states in order to achieve goals set out by the “Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons” within the sub-region.

He was speaking at a town-hall meeting on “Advocacy and Sensitization Campaign: Free Movement and Migration”, held today, August 1, 2019, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He, therefore, advised leadership of the ECOWAS States to adopt policies that will help break language barriers between member states.

The Deputy Commissioner believes this will go a long way to help enforcement officers such as the Immigration Service to facilitate the movement of ECOWAS citizens within the region.

The ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, the Right of Residence and the Right of Establishment is a protocol adopted by the ECOWAS to help facilitate the movement of citizens between member states.