President Leaves For ECOWAS Summit

President John Agyekum Kufour on Thursday left Accra for Dakar, Senegal, to attend the 26th session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) heads of state summit. Presidential Spokesman, Kwabena Agyepong, told journalists that the summit would discuss the current situation in La Cote d'Ivoire and examine the security situation in the sub-region, especially in Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Mano River States.

The meeting would also discuss the moratorium on small arms, which has been the concern of the leaders of the sub-region, the Senegal issue, regional integration as well as the common monetary union.

The Heads of State are expected to sign a protocol on the West African Gas Pipeline and elect members of the ECOWAS Council of Elders, for which Ghana has nominated Dr E.N. Debrah, Chairman of the Civil Service Council.

He was accompanied by the Energy Minister, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah; Attorney-General Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo; Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister for Economic Planning and Regional Co-operation; Dr Gyesikah Agambila, Deputy Finance Minister and Dr Paul Acquah, Governor of the Bank of Ghana. Foreign Minister Hackman Owusu-Agyemang is already in Senegal.

At the airport to see off the President were Vice President Aliu Mahama, some Ministers of State and the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Seth Obeng.