Security Personnel Hindering Free Movement Within ECOWAS – Citizens

• ECOWAS citizens in The Gambia express frustration over ineffective implementation of the free movement protocol, citing extortion by security personnel at borders
• Michel Koivogui calls for increased awareness programs about ECOWAS protocols to empower citizens against exploitation during border crossings

Citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) residing in The Gambia have raised concerns that the free movement protocol is not effectively implemented within the region.

Michel Koivogui, President of ECOWAS citizens in The Gambia, highlighted these concerns during a public hearing with stakeholders on Tuesday. The hearing was held on the sidelines of a meeting of joint committees on Social Affairs, Gender and Women Empowerment, Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Political Affairs, Peace, Security, African Peer Review Mechanism (MAEP), and Trade Customs and Free Movement. The discussions centred around the protocol on free movement, residence rights, and establishment.

The ECOWAS Member States adopted the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons and the Right of Residence and Establishment on May 29, 1975, recognizing that free movement is essential for regional integration. However, nearly five decades later, Koivogui pointed out that moving across borders within the West African subregion remains challenging, citing that community citizens face extortion by security personnel at the borders.

“We talk about free movement, we hear about free movement, but we can say that there is no free movement between the ECOWAS states. When you want to cross the borders, they will collect money from you even if you have all your travel documents. If you refuse, they will force you out of the vehicle and ask the driver to go. So, we have cases where the drivers leave the passengers and go simply because they (passengers) refuse to give security officials money,” Koivogui lamented.

He also noted that receipts were never issued for these illegal payments and called for increased awareness efforts by ECOWAS at the community level. “I want ECOWAS to organize more awareness programs on ECOWAS protocols for both the citizens and the officers because we realized also that some officers at the borders don’t even know the protocols of ECOWAS,” he added.

Koivogui believes that when ECOWAS citizens are well-informed, it will be harder for security agents to extort them at the borders.

Other stakeholders, including representatives from Chambers of Commerce and Industry, transport unions, market unions, market women associations, trade unions, and labour unions, echoed Koivogui’s.

Edwin Melvin Snowe Junior, Co-chair of the Joint Committee, spoke during the session and stated that the town hall meeting aimed to gather citizens’ opinions on the implementation of the regional bloc’s free movement protocol. He assured that all complaints and suggestions, especially those concerning free movement, would be considered in finding ways to implement regional protocols effectively.