President Rawlings returns home from Abuja

Accra (Greater Accra) 1 Nov '98

President Jerry John Rawlings has returned home from Abuja, Nigeria, after attending the 21st session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) summit. He was accompanied by the deputy minister of Finance, Mr Victor Selormey, Mr Ossei Kumah, deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana, and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. President Rawlings was met on arrival by the Vice- President, Professor John Attah Mills, Mr Joshua Alabi, Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Okaija Adamafio, Minister of Interior, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant-General Ben Akafia, and the Inspector General of Police, Mr Peter Nanfuri.

Speaking to newsmen later, Mr Selormey described the meeting as very significant because it focused more on economic and regional integration unlike previous ones which dwelt on conflict resolution and management. He said the ECOWAS travelling Cheque was launched at the summit to facilitate trade and easy movement of goods and services and that the West African single currency unit would be pegged at 1.35 US dollars which will be operative in Ghana next month. The summit urged member-states to remove all road blocks that hamper the free movement of people and goods to and from a member-state, adding: "if such free movement of persons and goods pose a security threat to members, then alternative measures must be found without slowing down economic activities in the sub-region". Mr Selormey said the community acknowledged the OAU's suggestion to the five regional economic groupings in Africa to be the rallying point for economic co-operation and integration of the continent.

On political issues, the summit decided to maintain the presence of ECOMOG in Liberia as well as expand its role in Sierra Leone and urged the government and rebels to hold further discussions to consolidate the gains made. A commemorative ECOMOG stamp was also launched and field commanders who served in Liberia including General Arnold Quainoo and Brigadier Adda were honoured for their contribution to peace-keeping in the sub-region. The summit also reviewed the situation in Guinea-Bissau and appealed to the two factions to maintain the cease-fire while mediation talks continue. For the first time in the history of ECOWAS, the chairmanship will be shared by Togo and Mali for 12 months each respectively.