President Akufo-Addo has endeared himself to his peers.
It follows his re-appointment as Chair the subregional group, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for a second term as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The decision was taken at the just-ended 59th Ordinary Session held on Saturday, June 19, 2021 in Accra by consensus, an indication of the confidence reposed in him.
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President Akufo-Addo was first elected to chair of the 15-member ECOWAS at its 57th Summit held in Niamey, Niger in September 2020.
He took over from Niger’s Mahamadou Issoufou
He was subsequently reappointed by the Heads of States of the Authority after its Extraordinary Session in February 2021 to oversee the implementation of institutional reforms in the organization.
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A communiqué issued after the Saturday’s Summit said “The Heads of State and Government appointed H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government for another one (1) year term.”
It said the Authority of Heads of State and Government commended President Akufo-Addo for his commitment and efforts to achieving the bloc’s objectives to improve the performance and operational efficiency of ECOWAS Institutions and to promote the implementation of integration programmes geared towards the economic and social development of the region.
President Akufo-Addo submitted to the Accra meeting, his report on the optimal structure and size of the new Commission and other institutions, geared towards streamlining the operating cost of ECOWAS.
The Report recommended the scaling down of the number of Commissioners from 13 to seven effective March 2022.
To this end, the Authority has adopted a 7-Member Commission as the new size of the Commission beginning March 2022 and has since mandated President Akufo-Addo, Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, to continue his efforts relating to the allocation of statutory positions and streamlining operational costs in ECOWAS Institutions,“ the communique said.
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The Accra meeting among others deliberated on the political and security situation in the region, the implementation of regional integration and single currency programmers, and the mitigation of the effects of the COVID-19 on the economy of the bloc.
The Session was attended by all the Heads of State in West Africa, except Mali, which has been suspended from the regional bloc, following the recent political upheavals in that country.
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The Authority took note of the report on a Mechanism to ensure predictability, transparence, and fairness in the rotation process within ECOWAS Member States for the occupation of the position of Chairperson of the Assembly of the African Union when the turn of ECOWAS arises.
It thus endorsed the criteria set up in the Report and the subsequent rotation proposed within ECOWAS Member States for the chairmanship position of the African Union.
The Heads of State and Government have since decided to hold the next Ordinary Session in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria on Saturday 18 December 2021.
