Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama

Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama has decried the lack of full implementation of ECOWAS Protocols aimed at fast tracking economic integration and development in the sub region.

Onyeama expressed concern over non implementation of the protocols on free movement of persons, goods and services in the sub region.

Onyeama said this in a statement by his Media Aide, Ms Sarah Sanda, on Friday in Abuja.

The minister said this at the opening of a two-day retreat of the ECOWAS Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) jointly organised by the ECOWAS Commission and the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to ECOWAS.

Onyeama urged the Ambassadors to do more in convincing their governments to ratify some of the key pending protocols and agreements as well as domesticating them.

The minister also commended the Chairman of the Permanent Representatives Committee – Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the ECOWAS Commission. Amb. Babatunde Nurudeeen, “for taking the initiative of bringing together the Permanent Representatives of accredited member States to deliberate on the all important subject’’.

The theme of the conference was “The Permanent Representatives Committee as a Catalyst for Implementing the Development, Regional Integration and Post Vision 2020 Programmes of ECOWAS”.

He said that Nigeria, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari as ECOWAS Chairman, would continue to work closely with the management of all ECOWAS institutions to realise common aspirations and goals. (NAN)