This was disclosed by the ECOWAS Commissioner of Trade, Customs, Free Movement, Industry and Mines, Mr Ahmed Hamid, in Abuja at the opening of a two-day meeting on the review of the Protocols on Free Movement, yesterday.
Ahmid said that the meeting would also focus attention on rights of residence of ECOWAS citizens and the establishment of businesses by such citizens.
According to him, the regional bloc is working towards reviewing the 90-day period within which ECOWAS citizens are expected to meet the conditions that will qualify them to reside in any member country.
The commissioner, however, said that the recommendations of the meeting would have to be presented to the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and also to the Heads of State and Government for approval.
ECOWAS Director of Free Movement/Tourism, Mr Tony Elumelu, who pointed out that the protocol on free movement was vital to regional development, said it would facilitate security checks on the borders.
Elumelu also said that the identification cards would replace the ECOWAS passports for travel within member states and would contain the same information in a citizen’s passport.
He said that security operatives were being trained to understand the requirements of the protocol, adding that community citizens were also being sensitized to ensure compliance with the protocol.
``We are using ECOWAS harmonized passports in 13 member states so what we are talking about now is try to demystify the travel documents, have an ID Card that is biometric. With the chips embedded, all the information you expect in the passport should also be encrypted in the ID card”, he said.
He added that if operatives can tie people to their identities it will enhance security.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Raliat Ahmed-Yusuf
Quelle/Source: Leadership Newspapers, 08.03.2013
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