Accra, Oct. 5, GNA - The five West African Countries engaged in establishing a second monetary zone are working hard to ensure the success of the project, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Regional Cooperation and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) said on Monday.

Dr Apraku was speaking at the opening of an educational workshop on the introduction of the Eco, the new currency to be introduced in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Guinea Conakry in 2005. A statement Mr Ahmed Osumanu Halid, Media Relations Officer of the Ministry, signed and made available to the GNA said, Dr Apraku enumerated some of the benefits of the Eco when introduced to include enlarging the market in the West Africa Sub-Region, improving the integration process and promoting trade and investment among the five member countries.

He, therefore, called on all professionals in the industry to work hard to enable Ghana to meet the criteria set for the introduction of the second monetary zone.

The two-day workshop for the training of trainers is being attended by 70 participants drawn from three districts in the Greater Accra; staff of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE); Civil Society Groups and representatives of nongovernmental organisations.

Mrs Doris Archampong, Greater Accra Regional Director of NCCE, said the ECOWAS Sub-Region would achieve a lot when the two currencies, Eco and CFA Franc merged adding that there was, therefore, the need for a concerted effort to achieve that.