Leaders from the West African sub-region, will today converge in Accra for the opening session of a two-day mid-year summit of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS).
The summit which is being hosted by President John Dramani Mahama, in his capacity as Chairman of the ECOWAS will among other things; consider a report on the Community’s main activities and projects over the first half of this year, and also discuss a proposal to improve the implementation of the regions flagship free movement protocol through the introduction of a region-wide biometric identity card system for citizens.
Also expected to be discussed at the meeting which ends tomorrow is the possible abolition of residence permit requirements for all citizens within Member States.
Even though the summit is to be attended by leaders of the fifteen Member States, Presidents of three nations bordering the ECOWAS sub-region – Mauritania, Cameroon and Chad have also been invited.
The regional leaders will also be briefed on the situation in Mali, as well as the situation in Guinea-Bissau where successful legislative and presidential elections were recently concluded paving the way for the inauguration of a new president.
Obviously not to be skipped is a deliberation on the current Ebola outbreak in some parts of West Africa.
The agenda of the two day summit, which is the 45th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, include an opening session, a closed –door session involving the signing of community acts and decisions, reading of communiqué and a press conference.
This summit comes at the heels of a gathering in Accra by Foreign and Defence ministers of member states to discuss a report presented to it from an earlier meeting of intelligence chiefs of the sub-region.
Meanwhile due to the summit, the Police Administration has announced the temporary closure of the road from the Movenpick Hotel to the Airport Traffic Light on the Independence Avenue to Accra bound traffic from today to Sunday, 13th July. This, according to the Public Affairs Department of the police, is to ensure sanity and security on all routes leading to the conference venue and other security zones.
Other routes to be affected include; the Liberation Road, the Liberia Road and the AU Circle. According to the police, motorists are to plan for alternative routes before embarking on their journey as no vehicle would be allowed to park or drive through the above-mentioned sealed roads. Traffic officers will however be on hand to give assistance to motorists on alternative diverted routes.
