Rising insecurity poses serious threats to West Africa’s economic integration agenda- Sosu

Deputy Ranking Member of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, Francis-Xavier Sosu has said that the rising insecurity within the African continent is a threat to the Regional Economic Integration Agenda.

His remarks follows a coup in Guinea which led to the arrest of President Alpha Conde and subsequent dissolution of government by the military.

According to him, the insecurities, in the form of coup d’états and terrorist attacks, pose severe threats which would eventually derail efforts to achieve regional economic integration, especially the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The ranking member, who has background expertise in Economics, Conflict, Security and Peace studies, noted that
“the desire of the Continent to work around the Lagos Plan of Action recently converted to Agenda 2030 and now Agenda 2063” would be negatively impacted should these insecurities persist.

Francis-Xavier Sosu posits that the growing insecurity on the Continent also has the potential to negatively affect investments in the sub-region, of which Ghana and Nigeria are the biggest beneficiaries.

This situation, he believes, could lead to increased economic hardship and worsen the unemployment rates in the African sub-region.

“According to the African Development Bank (ADB) report on Jobs for Youth in Africa: Catalyzing Youth Opportunities across Africa, of Africa’s nearly 420 million youth aged 15-35, one-third are unemployed and discouraged, another third are vulnerably employed, and only one in six is in wage employment. As a result, 263 million young people will lack an economic stake in the system by 2025”, the law maker added.

The ranking member further took a swipe at President Akufo Addo, who doubles as the Chairman of ECOWAS, describing his leadership as weak and reactionary.

He proceeded to tout the achievements of ex-President John Dramani Mahama noting that, his tenure witnessed significant progress as ECOWAS Chairman while his successor, President Akufo Addo, has failed to meet expectations.

While condemning the coup d’état in Guinea, he called on ECOWAS leaders to restore calm in the sub-region, as such occurrences derail efforts to achieve democratic development as well as economic integration of the Continent and sub-region which interrelate with other rights.