Lawyer Isaac Minta Larbi, Chairman of the Eastern Regional Legal Team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has voiced a strong call for the disbandment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) if it cannot meet its objectives.
Highlighting ECOWAS’s foundational goals of integrating West African economies and facilitating the free movement of goods and people within the region, Lawyer Minta Larbi emphasized the organization’s vision of issuing a common currency to enhance trade and economic cohesion among member states.
However, he lamented the stark reality that, despite over three decades of existence, ECOWAS has failed to deliver tangible results. Describing it as one of the most sluggish institutions in Africa, Lawyer Minta Larbi underscored the persistent challenges facing economic integration and cross-border mobility within the region.
According to Larbi, the failure of ECOWAS to fulfill its mandate raises serious questions about its relevance and effectiveness. He argued that if the organization cannot make meaningful strides towards achieving its objectives, then serious consideration should be given to its dissolution.
Below is his full statement:
IF ECOWAS CANNOT LIVE UP TO IT’S OBJECTIVE, IT SHOULD BE DISBANDED.
ECOWAS was set up for the purposes of integrating the economies of West African states and to ensure free movement of goods and people to and from the West African states.
Amongst it’s many majestic objectives on paper has been the issuance of a common currency to assist in trade and integration of the various economies of West African states.
Unfortunately for over 30 years of ECOWAS existence one can hardly observe or feel the impact of the ECOWAS.
As a matter of fact it has over the years become one of the most crawling institutions African countries have ever created.
Economic integration has failed. Movement of goods and people is still a major problem.
Meanwhile various positions and offices have been created under the umbrella of the ECOWAS with people who are well qualified and accomplished employed to take up those positions.
If we are to talk about value for money you would realize these positions are just on paper with no serious values or benefits being derived by the various West African states.
Even the economic indicators required to be achieved by the various countries in West Africa to ensure the issuance of a common currency not a single country has been able to achieve them.
When people used to describe the then Organization of African Unity as a club of dictators it was mainly because money was being spent on the activities of the OAU with no results for so long that it only looked like a club where dictators from African countries just go to meet somewhere have fun and come back home.
Unfortunately, it appears the ECOWAS has now come to replace the OAU.
In a recent move by ECOWAS it has become clear that if care is not taken it’ll become worse than even the defunct OAU.
Due to very poor governance in Africa and under very failed democractic leadership, coup detats have erupted in many French West African states.
Instead of ECOWAS seeing the wind of change and to quickly support our brothers in those countries, ECOWAS has rather allowed itself to be used to threaten these countries with military action.
This is really disappointing and smacks of an ECOWAS that is not really interested in the development of West African countries but allowing itself to be used to control West African countries for and on behalf of foreign countries many of whom are only powerful on paper but have long lost their lustre and prowess if only we knew.
In fact it is time ECOWAS made itself meaningful to be accorded the needed recognition as an institution that is only interested in the affairs of Africa and nothing else.
We are tired of seeing Africans leading anything in the interest of Africa only to turn round to serve the interest of the West.
Things are changing fast and the docile African you used to know won’t be docile forever.
In fact the awakening which is ongoing in Africa should tell everyone especially ECOWAS and African Union leaders that they either focus on serving the interest of Africa or they would be rendered otios by the people.
The fact that ECOWAS could even threaten military action against a country that has been raped by France since it’s independence goes to show that ECOWAS is becoming needless.
This is an institution that holds so much promise for West African countries but if it is going to allow itself to become another tool for neocolonialism and to promote the dominance of the West in the affairs of Africa then the awakening of the people will lead to the disbanding of the institution.
ECOWAS is for Africans and must be controlled by Africans in the interest of Africans.
Any decision taken by ECOWAS must have only one objective which is the interest of the African and not to protect a stooge of the West or to promote the interest of the West.
Many times ECOWAS just sits aloof whilst democractic principles get watered down in African countries only to come out with veil threats when the people say enough is enough and decide to take matters into their hands.
Elections are in the offing in Ghana in a few months. Tensions are going to rise, the ruling government who fears defeat may decide to forgo democractic principles in order to keep itself in power.
When that happens we don’t expect to see ECOWAS sit aloof pretending it doesn’t see, hear or know what is going on.
We expect ECOWAS to take proactive steps to ensure the free, fair and credible elections in Ghana and not wait till things get out of hand before pretending to be issuing veil threats.
Right now the people of Niger niger have taken their destiny into their own hands. They have succeeded in getting France to agree to withdraw it’s ambassador and it’s troops.
This fight is being done by the people of Niger alone and without the support of ECOWAS which is really unfortunate.
If ECOWAS is really about the interest of Africans this won’t be happening.
ECOWAS must sit up and focus on the interest of the people of West Africa or forever remain silent.
Just yesterday Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have withdrawn from the ECOWAS.
This is the sign of things to come.
Either ECOWAS makes itself relevant regarding the interest of West African States or it is made to go extinct.
The youth of today are ready to take their destiny into their own hands.
The Black Man Shall Arise 👌🏾🙏🏿
Yani abre koooo. 🔥 🔥
Lawyer Isaac Minta Larbi
29/01/2024.
