Former Head of state urges ECOWAS to make sub-region disease-free

chika ebuzor

December 18, 2015 7:02 AM

Gowon, a founding father of the sub-regional body, made the call while addressing the Authority of Heads of State and Government at the 40th anniversary celebration of ECOWAS in Abuja on Thursday.

former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon

Former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon has called on ECOWAS member states to work closely to make the sub-region disease-free to facilitate development in the area.

He said enhanced efforts by member states to improve on the health sector would promote economic development in the sub-region.

He commended the efforts of member states in building on existing protocols and emphasised the need for governments in the sub-region to ``make the body have more direct impact on the people."

"Today, the largely economic and social protocols that we endorsed in May 1975 have blossomed and yielded several other major protocols.

"Today, we have many major protocols on democracy, the judiciary and on the parliament in addition to those on defence, security, and free movement across West Africa.

"I commend the strategic decision of ECOWAS to vigorously combat malaria, HIV/AIDS, polio and other debilitating diseases in West Africa; but then the battle cannot be left to ECOWAS alone or to the governments of the various states.

"A sustained multi-sectoral approach is needed, which would require long-term collaboration of both the private and public sectors working as a team to make West Africa truly disease-free.

"A sub-region of healthy, resourceful and productive people will readily defeat poverty and achieve the greatest good of the greatest number; this is the ideal we must all make a commitment to achieve.

"This is the ideal that current and future generations of leaders and the people must vigorously pursue, for in it is embedded in the true meaning of integration in West Africa.”

In his message of solidarity and goodwill, UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon commended the sub-regional bloc for efforts it had made in the promotion of economic growth and development.

Ki-moon, who was represented by the Head of the UN Office for West Africa, Dr Ibn Chambas, reiterated the need for both bodies to enhance collaboration to address challenges in the sub-region.

chika ebuzor