The Chairman of ECOWAS Council of Ministers and Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration,
Mrs. Hanna Tetteh has called on Member States to redouble efforts to stem the spread across the region of “growing menace” and security threats posed by terrorist groups such as Boko Haram.
He gave this advised while opening the 72nd ordinary session of the council on at the weekend in Accra.
Tetteh said the efforts should include intelligence sharing and deployment of pragmatic steps to identify and react appropriately to the methods used by terrorists and their supporters to collect, transfer and utilise funds for their activities.
She warned about the danger posed to the security of the region by the activities of Boko Haram, which has unleashed deadly attacks especially in northern Nigeria including bombings and kidnappings.
Tetteh underscored the importance of concerted regional action and urged Nigerians to close ranks as “no measure of international support will succeed without the people who reside in the affected areas and Nigeria.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Amb. Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, outlined developments since the last session of the Council, which has responsibility for policy orientation for the Community.
These include the signing of the treaty for the 1024-km Abidjan-Lagos corridor by regional leaders and the commencement of work on the rail project between Abidjan and Cotonou through Niamey and Ouagadougou.
