Apraku asks Sierra Leone to pay up

Accra, Jan. 22, GNA- Dr. Kofi Konadu Appraku, Minister for Regional Cooperation and NEPAD on Thursday appealed to Sierra Leone to adopt effective measures of paying the levy arrears it owed ECOWAS.

A statement issued by the Ministry said Dr. Appraku who is also Chairman of ECOWAS Council of Ministers made the appeal to Sierra Leonean President Tijan Kabbah to ensure that the community levies collected was channelled through Sierra Leone Central Bank.

The Minister was speaking to the President when he paid a courtesy call on President Kabbah as part of activities of a regional tour to interact with leaders of the Sub-Region on the implementation of the ECOWAS Protocol particularly the community levy.

Dr Apraku also called on other member states to work hard and pay their arrears to ensure that the regional body achieved its objectives for the benefit of the people.

Dr. Appraku expressed gratitude to the President for committing himself to the work of ECOWAS adding that ECOWAS would realize its objectives since the current crop of leaders have shown tremendous commitment.

He thanked the Heads of States and other leaders in the sub region for renewing the mandate of President Kufuor of Ghana as the Chairman of the regional body.

Dr. Ibn Chambas, Executive Secretary of ECOWAS said Sierra Leone had the political will to offset its debt but converting the currency into dollars was the problem and suggested the development of a mechanism to resolve the problem of over convertibility.

President Tijan Kabbah commended the delegation for its visit and gave the assurance that his country would pay its arrears since it was determined to do so adding that the war had affected its export earnings.

He appealed to ECOWAS to start some projects in the country so that it could use the Leone to pay while ECOWAS kept the hard currency. President Kabbah said the presence of UN had brought some dollars to the country but "black market" business was crippling the economy.