ECOWAS VICE PRESIDENT CALLS FOR PRACTICAL PLANS

ECOWAS VICE PRESIDENT CALLS FOR PRACTICAL AND FEASIBLE STRATEGIC PLANS FOR THE COMMUNITY

The ECOWAS Vice President, Dr Toga Gayewea McIntosh has challenged the Community’s strategic planning coordination committee to develop practical and feasible strategic plans that will contribute to the realisation of the organisations integration objective.

Opening the three day 8^th meeting of the committee in Freetown, the Vice President characterised the Community Strategic Framework (CSF) as an umbrella for ECOWAS Institutions to develop their institutional action plans within the context of the regional objective.

Describing the CSF as critical to the attainment of the Commission’s integration plan, the vice president urged the committee to ensure that the plans incorporated the decision of the Council of Ministers and the Heads of State and Government without ignoring the Community Development Programmes.

Dr. McIntosh used this medium to champion the need for a collective approach in developing the  plans as the ECOWAS vision is an embodiment of the collective visions of all Community institutions. 

Furthermore, he charged the Committee to adopt a participatory approach with consultants, development partners and stakeholders by organising working sessions to ensure cohesion and increased productivity.

Similarly, Professor Mohamed Ben Omar Ndiaye, the Director General of the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA), which is hosting the meeting, stressed the need to implement the recommendations of the previous SPCC meeting, particularly  that related to institution of a forum for the heads of ECOWAS institutions to exchange views, discuss the status of the strategic plans as well as the challenges in order to propose solutions.