The ECOWAS Commission based in Abuja-Nigeria, on Tuesday began a three day capacity workshop to equip trade facilitators in Ghana with good negotiation skills.

Topics to be discussed include the common investment issues among ECOWAS countries, the trade liberalization scheme, and trade imbalances among countries in the sub region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony in Accra, Dr Ammettovi Folli, Facilitator for the Trade Negotiations Capacity Building (TNCB) Project, ECOWAS Commission, noted that the workshop was organised due to member countries inability to fully implement the ECOWAS protocols.

“It is sad to note that the issue of free movement of persons among member states has not even been met without impediments ,“he said.

According to him, “ECOWAS, since its inception in 1975, had been bedeviled with a lot of challenges which needed to be addressed before its goals could be achieved”, he added.

He said participants would also be educated on the need for Ghana to open up its borders and allow for free movement of persons and goods.

“The workshop would help us sharpen the negotiation skills of our participants in international trade and also increase the number of trade negotiators in the country”, he added.

Mr Clement Nyaba, Multilateral and Bilateral Advisor, Ministry of Trade and Industries, advised the participants to fully partake in the workshop in order to reap its full benefits.

He said the workshop would be reciprocated in the 16 member countries of ECOWAS.

Sixty participants including officials from the Customs Excise and Preventive Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ghana Immigration Service and the Ministry of Trade and Industries, took part in the workshop.**