ECOWAS chamber of commerce: Sea link project will ease transportation challenges

Abuja, March 24, 2015 Federation of West African Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said the ECOWAS sea link project, when operational, would minimise the challenges of movement of goods and services in the region.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Mr Cherno Jallow, said this on Tuesday in Abuja during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Jallow said that the operation of the maritime shipping project, which was an initiative of the Chamber, was aimed at linking the ECOWAS states and Central Africa countries.

He said the project was in line with the priority given to free movement of people and goods by the leadership of ECOWAS.

He said the project would also contribute immensely in ECOWAS dream of enhancing economic growth through the strong participation of the private sector.

He when fully operational, the project would ensure that vessels, agricultural produce, manufactured goods and passengers could be transported from one country to another within the sub-region and beyond.

“It will boost trade within the sub-region as well as help erase the difficulties faced by traders when crossing land borders of the ECOWAS countries.

“This would enable us to grow economically and become competitive globally,’’ he said.

Sea link project is a major step in deepening trade within ECOWAS sub-region and a significant step in enhancing the current trade flow among ECOWAS member states

The institutions promoting the project are the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FEWACCI), NEXIM Bank of Nigeria and Transimex of Cameroun with support from ECOWAS Commission. (NAN)