Tuggar disclosed this during the two-day 94th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers which opened on Thursday in Abuja.
"This session should be defined not only by the depth of our deliberations but also the courage of our decisions. I encourage us all to engage in open, constructive and foresighted discussions.
"Let us draw on our diverse expertise, share best practices and work collaboratively to ensure that the decisions we make here will translate into meaningful outcomes for our Member States and the citizens of our Community.
"The Agenda before us is extensive and multifaceted, reflecting the complex realities of our region as well as the institutional demands of our integration process. I invite us all to approach our discussions with an ethos of collegiality, compromise and flexibility with a broader vision for a strong, united and resilient Regional Economic Community," Tuggar stressed.
The two-day session which ends on Friday, is focused on tackling issues on non-tariff barriers and facilitate economic exchange across the ECOWAS region
“The session comes at a time of critical reflection and decisive action, to remind ourselves of founding reasons of ECOWAS and other African Regional Economic Communities, essentially the fight against neo-colonialism.
“It has become necessary, whenever the opportunity arises, to remind ourselves that ECOWAS and Regional Integration in Africa was borne out of our yearning for economic decolonisation and not the other way round. Over course of our deliberations, we will consider and reflect wide range of reports, and proposals, concentrating on thematic and sectoral matters that are central to the development and stability of our region.
“These include critical issues related to economic integration, infrastructure development, health, education, agriculture and manifold institutional matters aimed at strengthening our Community.”
Amb Tuggar stressed the need for extensive strategic integration and multifaceted processes to reflect the complex realities of the West Africa subregion.
He urged the Council to approach such discussions with an ethos of collegiality, compromise, and flexibility, guided by a broader vision of a strong, united, and resilient regional economic community.
The minister also disclosed that the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES), an initiative by l President Bola Tinubu, scheduled to hold from Friday to Saturday in Abuja, would draw participants from the private and public sectors; policy makers, national and regional regulatory agencies, domestic and international investors, Development Financial Institutions, banks and startups.
Already, the minister revealed that a deal room has been set up, to be run by the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund, which he said further underscores the result -oriented focus of the event.
According to him, it will showcase young artists from across the region and that Heads of State will be in attendance to expound on their visions and share their experiences.
"WAES will serve as a watershed event for enhancing business and economic impact activities in the West African region. I urge all Council Members to make time to attend the Day One Launch Session and I know some of us have already confirmed. I therefore seek your indulgence to ensure we work speedily and take all the memorandums and discuss them today.
Earlier, the President of ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, called for holistic approach in tackling issues that bordered on non-tariff barriers, in the bid to facilitate economic exchange across the region.
He lamented that non-tariff barriers have continued to pose difficulty in advancing trade within the region.
“The ministers examined the question of Non-Tariff Barriers within the framework of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the AfCFTA.
“Non-tariff barriers have become a perennial obstacle to boosting regional trade, investment, industrialisation, competitiveness, and economic growth in our region.
“Despite numerous initiatives — including the Presidential Task Force on the Trade Liberalisation Scheme — the problem persists.
“In May, I travelled by road from Lagos to Cotonou to see the situation along the regional corridor and joint border post established at the Seme/Krake border between Nigeria and Benin.
“And saw first hand challenges posed by non-tariff barriers along the corridor.
“We must do everything to put an end to this and facilitate economic exchange across the region."