ECOWAS Commission begins Consultation for Post-2020 Vision

The Economic Community of West African States, [ECOWAS] has begun a-two day National Consultation Workshop on the organization’s post-2020 vision, saying the aim of the workshop was targeted at outlining expectations of the people of Nigeria, with regards to the formulations of ECOWAS vision-2020 documents.

 In his keynote address, the head of ECOWAS National Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. J. U. Oyi gave this clarification during the opening of a-two day National Consultation Workshop on the organization’s post-2020 vision, held at Watt Bridge Hotel in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital yesterday.

 To achieve this, he said that the workshop would be consultative, participatory and forward thinking as the outcome of the workshop would be communicated to ECOWAS Commission as Nigeria’s position.

 The event organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Finance and National Planning in collaboration with ECOWAS Commission was meant to articulate views of various stakeholders on the impact of ECOWAS vision 2020. 

 Oyi recalled that the Authority of Heads of State and Government, during its ordinary session in 2007, had adopted the transformational ECOWAS vision 2020, which he said was aimed at setting clear directions and goals to significantly raise the standard of living through conscious and inclusive programmes.

 He stated that with the response to many challenges, ECOWAS has established a road map to come up with a post vision-2020 for the sub-region.

 Declaring the workshop opened, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Moses Ekpo, thanked the organizers of the event for finding the state capital suitable for the South-South Consultative workshop.

 The governor pledged the support of the government and people of the state to work in support for the realization of post-vision 2020.

 According to him, the state vision on infrastructure provisions cannot be overemphasized as the state road network could be compared to any other state in the country.

 Udom told the participants at the workshop that Akwa Ibom was the only state in the country that runs a successful air transport, stressing that it was the vision of his administration to develop air, land and sea transportation, hence government huge investments in these key areas.