ECOWAS trade liberalisation meant to boost trade in W/Africa

AN assistant director in the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Safiu Olukayode Olaniran, has said that the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) is anincentive aimed at enhancingpromotion of economic development by increasing trade due to increasing market opportunities, which in turn will generate employmentof more labourand capital to meet market needs.Making the assertion, at the weekend, in Kano, Mr Olaniran in a paper he delivered, entitled ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS); Provisions and Challenges of Implementation, said the ETLShad series of economic and non-economic benefits for member countries.According to him, the objective was to significantly expand the volume of intra-community trade in the sub-region through the removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade on goods originating from ECOWAS member states.He further noted that the objective was primarily geared towards export activities within the ECOWAS sub-region, hence the need for the member countries to guard it jealously.He stated that the ETLS acted as the pull factor for production effectiveness, competitiveness and thereby provided sustainability of the sub-region.
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