By Kebba AF Touray
The ECOWAS Parliament on Tuesday, 27 August 2024, organized a public hearing on the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, on the sidelines of its ongoing delocalized meeting in the Gambia.
The public hearing was held by the community parliament’s joint committee on trade, customs and free movement, social affairs, gender, women empowerment and persons with disabilities, legal affairs and human rights and political affairs, peace, security, and African Peer Review Mechanism, of the Community Parliament.
The first question put to the entities was whether there has been any sensitization program held to make the people better understand the protocol in the Gambia.
Responding to the question, Kebba Masaneh Ceesay, representative of the GTUB, said that the knowledge and understanding of the protocol has not been instilled in them.
“There is a gap in the understanding of the protocol and there is the need to enlighten the unions on the protocol for proper understanding of the protocol on free movement of persons,” he said.
For his part, the representative of the ECOWS Citizens in the Gambia, Michael P. Koivogui, said that though no such sensitization event was held with various unions, there have been campaigns on the protocol, to make them better understand the protocol.
“There is a movement called free movement between Gambia and Senegal, which organizes a Free Movement Day. During the celebration, the stakeholders would discuss problems of border trade,” he added.
He decried that there should be both proper sensitization and monitoring on compliance with the protocol; adding that what transpires at the border and what the protocol is, are two different things.
Thus, he said there must be proper monitoring in terms of the implementation to ensure that the authorities help to promote free movement, without which it is of no use to have the protocol and being part of the ECOWAS Community.
He also called for the enforcement of the protocol, to ensure that its desired objectives are met.
On what are the challenges confronting the protocol, Pa Jabbi Gassama, of the Gambia Market Union, highlighted that the protocol is confronted with challenges and harassment, as well as the endless exorbitant charges traders are asked to pay, especially at the borders, when they should only pay transit charges.
He proffered: “ECOWAS needs to look into the issue and provide remedies. I think there is a dire need for the community bloc to conduct massive, robust, and intensive sensitization on the protocol, especially for the customs officers at the borders, to ensure that the challenges of free movement protocol can be mitigated.”
This sensitization, he said, will ensure that authorities and citizens of ECOWAS will better understand the protocol, ensure compliance, and greatly promote free movement, boost trade and regional integration.
He also recommended the need to build their capacities on protocol, noting that the last impasse between the Gambia and Senegal was caused by the Transport Union of Senegal, which he said could have been averted if there were effective sensitizations.
The stakeholders also called for the need to put in place regulations that will ensure compliance and adherence to the protocol.
Dilating on the challenges facing the transport sector concerning the protocol, Mr. Addoul William, the Head of Accident and Claims at the GTU, cited that a driver must have documentation such as a licence, valid insurance, and a certificate of ownership of the vehicle.
He informed the convergence about the Cotonou Convention of 1988, which he said realized that though vehicles are of significance to mankind, in terms of facilitating movement, but sometimes inflict difficulties on the users.
The convention he added is what dictates the need to have the ECOWAS Brown Cover, but the said insurance is not of any use and benefit to the citizens.
He lamented that this is because the citizens of ECOWAS are involved in a lot of accidents, and according to the convention, there are payment schemes for the victims of road accidents.
He said, notwithstanding Africa had numerous loss of lives due to accidents, no such payments are made to the victims, “is high time we move from ECOWAS of state and represent the citizens of ECOWAS fully.”
He said that a lot of persons with disabilities due to accidents are forced to drop out of school, as they cannot afford the school fees of their children.
“The wives and victims of the accident are roaming in the streets begging for alms, even though the convention provides compensation for such victims, but the ECOWAS Bureau has never compensated such victims,” he bemoaned.
“The cases of those who lost their lives, those who get permanent and temporary disabilities must be considered and be compensated. It is high time the ECOWAS Parliament considers this point on the ECOWAS protocol when it comes to insurance and the brown card scheme,” he added.
