KEEPING ECOWAS INTACT: Tunkara proffers sensitization of citizens about benefits

The fourth Deputy Speaker of the Community Parliament, Hon. Billay Tunkara is advocating for the citizens of the three Sahel Countries to be sensitized on the benefits they will derive remaining with the West African sub-regional bloc despite the military juntas’ intransigent posture to break away.  

According to him it is very unfortunate the three Sahel Countries have served notice of turning their back to the bloc.  
In an interview at the sideline of the third Extraordinary Session of the Community Parliament, he noted that letters had been written to the Speakers of the Three Sahel Countries, as they have activated parliamentary diplomacy as directed by the Authority of Heads of States and Government who had given overtures to the three states.  

“Currently we have over hundred employees with the bloc who stand the chance of losing their jobs, should they exit the bloc; and each of them is doing well back home, by taking care of their families back home. Dependency on them is high”, he stated. 

He affirmed that if these people are taken off their jobs, it creates job lose and insecurity, adding that with the free movement in ECOWAS, “if they leave it means their citizens will come into ECOWAS by applying for visas; their biometric ID will not be accepted again”. 

“In terms of trade, it becomes a problem since they are a land log state they need sea port, road transit, hence we are better off together than when they exit, even movement within the sub-region.