ECOWAS Decries Poor Enforcement Of Free Movement Protocol

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has decried the poor implementation of free movement of persons and labour protocol among member-states, stressing that the situation was seriously hindering trade and the integration process within the sub-region.

The Director of Free Movement of Persons and Migration at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, Mr Albert Siaw-Boateng, said this on Tuesday while making a presentation at the ongoing First Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament, describing free movement of persons and lalour as catalyst for regional integration and the success of African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

He also lamented that since the 1979 Treaty on the right of entry, right of residence and right of establishment, which are in tandem with the content of AFCFTA, it has had no significant impact in terms of enforcement.

Siaw-Boateng also expressed concern about poor implementation of ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card – a travel document replacing the handwritten travel certificate, by member-states, stressing that since inception in 2018, only seven ECOWAS member-states – Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Benin, The Gambia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, have implemented the ECOWAS National Biometrics Identity Card.

“It tells us that we member-states are the killers ourselves. These are clearly signed by the authority of members of states for member states to implement. Nobody is implementing it. We don’t have ECOWAS police or immigration but then, these are dependent on member states to implement,” he said.

He noted that the regional migration policy, which stemmed out of ECOWAS Common Approach of 2008, looked at opportunities raised by migration and how it harnesses the socio-economic benefits for development, gender dimension in migration management as well as human mobility in the context of climate change.

“As we know, generation and environmental issues force people to move across borders but how do you manage them?”

He, therefore, urged full implementation of data migration policy, which was validated in May 2025 to look at the link between migration and development and to promote safe, regular and right-based labour mobility within the region.

“Because we realise that we still find some of us moving around. We need to ensure that workers’ rights are also preserved as they tend to address the deficits in terms of labour shortage in the region,” he said.