Posted by Chester Morton / Saturday, 2 April 2016 / No comments
The benefits Ghana derives from her membership of ECOWAS
BENEFITS GHANA DERIVES ECOWAS
Benefits in the Energy Sector
One
of the benefits Ghana derives from her membership of ECOWAS
is in the area of energy. In collaboration with other countries in the
sub-region, a gas pipeline was, for example, constructed from Nigeria
through Benin and Togo to provide gas to power Ghana's power barges for
the production of electricity. Today, Ghana is exporting electricity to
neighbouring ECOWAS member states and earning foreign exchange.
Expanded market
Expanded market
The
combined population of the entire sub-region has created a bigger and ready market for Ghanaian goods and services. Now Ghanaian companies like Kasapreku, Ashfoam, and UT Financial Services, to mention but a few,
have all opened branches in Nigeria. Also, many Ghanaian goods are being exported to the neighbouring member states. Burkina Faso imports petroleum products from Ghana and this earns Ghana the needed foreign exchange.
Creation of jobs
Some of Ghana's citizens have found employment at the ECOWAS Commission which they would otherwise not have had. Apart from that, expansion in production of goods for exports to the sub-region has created more jobs for Ghanaian citizens.
Benefits from joint ventures
Another benefit Ghana enjoys from her membership of ECOWAS comes from her joint venture activities with other member states. Ghana has, for example, collaborated with neighbours along the Gulf of Guinea to construct a gas pipeline to supply gas to Ghana from Nigeria. Ghana has also joined forces with Cote D'Ivoire, Togo, Benin and Nigeria to create the Abidjan to Lagos Highway.
Creation of jobs
Some of Ghana's citizens have found employment at the ECOWAS Commission which they would otherwise not have had. Apart from that, expansion in production of goods for exports to the sub-region has created more jobs for Ghanaian citizens.
Benefits from joint ventures
Another benefit Ghana enjoys from her membership of ECOWAS comes from her joint venture activities with other member states. Ghana has, for example, collaborated with neighbours along the Gulf of Guinea to construct a gas pipeline to supply gas to Ghana from Nigeria. Ghana has also joined forces with Cote D'Ivoire, Togo, Benin and Nigeria to create the Abidjan to Lagos Highway.
Free Movement of Persons and
Goods
Another
benefit from Ghana's membership of ECOWAS is the free movement of
persons and goods across member states. Today, Ghanaian citizens can
travel to other member states and reside there for 90 days without a
visa. This has, to some extent, eased the hustle associated with
traveling across the land borders surrounding Ghana.
Military Assistance
It
is believed that any act of aggression directed to Ghana can be
contained by the ECOWAS
Monitoring Group ECOMOG. The same military establishment of the Economic
Community of West African States that restored peace in Liberia and
Sierra Leone is capable of restoring peace in Ghana too, should any
armed conflict occurs.
SAMPLE QUESTION(S)
1. What six benefits does Ghana
derive from her membership of the Economic Community of West African States?
2. Highlight six benefits Ghana
from her membership of the Economic Community of West African States?
