The Director of Trade, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mr Kola Shofola, has called on journalists to build their knowledge on existing ECOWAS protocol to effectively report the role of international trade in creating wealth within the sub- region.
Shofola made the call when he declared open a 5-day training on trade advocacy for journalists from English-speaking countries of West Africa, yesterday, in Lagos.
He said the training was funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank and GIZ with the aim of improving trade facilitation in the sub-region.
He said the training will strengthen the journalists in playing key advocacy roles in reforms and building of trade initiatives in the West African sub-region.
On his part, the lead trainer and consultant to the ECOWAS, Dr Ken Ukaoha, said with the new instrument on trade, and key issues coming out within the sub-region and member states, the advocacy training is long overdue.
He decried that the media (newspapers) in the whole of West Africa have neglected trade and economic issues, allowing politics to take over almost the entire media space.
“And if there are drivers who will reinvent, reactivate and rediscover where we should be as a region, economically, you are the one (journalists)” he said.
Ukaoha called on the participants to task themselves on understanding the new trade instruments and their implication to the community and member states.
He also emphasised the need for the journalists to mobilise joint actions and connectivity among themselves for effective reportage in the West African sub-region.
Ukaoha also regretted that despite the numerous trade agreements signed by African countries, there are still capacity gaps and lack of commitments by the member states.
He urged the participants to use their various platforms to promote the free trade agenda of ECOWAS in the sub-region.
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