Corona Virus (Covid 19) And The Ecowas Protocol On Free Movement Of Persons And Goods: An Appraisal
James Agena E Ph.D
Department of Political Science, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki
Keywords: Corona virus, Ecowas protocol, Economic recession
Abstract
The debilitating impact of the corona virus disease globally is better imagined. First reported in the Wuham region of China, in December 2019, the disease had within a very short span spread to all countries of the globe with an unprecedented death rate. Africa, especially west African countries have their own greatest share of this pandemic and it is an unsavoury experience. This background study is designed to X-ray the impact of Covid-19 in the West African Sub-region. The paper will take a wholistic look on how the corona virus disease has had a great toll on the Economic Community of West Africa States’ Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods. The study reveals that apart from the disruption of the free movement of persons and goods within the sub-region, it has equally affected the economies of West African States negatively bringing about recession that African States and leaders might find extremely difficult to address. The paper however recommends that political leaders within the West African Sub-region should through a joint effort tackle the pandemic head on while not loosing sight of managing her various economies to avoid a hunger pandemic that might be more devastating than the corona virus disease