Ghana in Search of Regional Integration Agenda 13 The role of Acheampong improved Ghana's relations with Libya, Algeria, Zaire and Zambia which had gone bad following the overthrow of Nkrumah. 22 The adoption of the regional cooperation policy(initiated by the PP regime) saw the establishment of the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) in the West Africa sub-region. The treaty establishing the ECOWAS was signed in Lagos, Nigeria on May 28 th 1975 by the Heads of States and Government of 14 West African nations, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. In accordance with the terms of the treaty, the treaty came into force in June 1975 with the ratification by seven states. 23 The drive for the establishment of the ECOWAS was solely from Nigeria and Togo. Ghana was just one of the ratifying states. According to Article 2(1) of the 1975 Treaty, the aim of the Community was: “... to promote co-operation and development in all fields of economic activity particularly in the fields of industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, natural resources, commerce, monetary and financial questions and in social and cultural matters for the purpose of raising the standard of living of its peoples; of increasing and maintaining economic stability; of fostering closer relations among its members and of contributing to the progress and development of the African continent”. 24 Thus, the treaty was to facilitate freely and easily, the movement of goods, services and persons among the member states of ECOWAS. This treaty is yet to achieve the purpose for which it was established. Consistent with the then negative image of Ghana as a land of coup makers, another coup d'état was staged by the AFRC under the Chairmanship of then Ft. Lt. (Rtd) Rawlings. The four-month revolution was not long enough for the regime to assert its role in Africa. It was, however, able to grip the state with fear and pandemonium through the killings of Gen. Acheampong, Afrifa and other military officers, seizure of verified and unverifiable horded goods, and abuse of nationals and non-nationals suspected of having engaged in shady activities among others. The international outcries against these acts came from the Commonwealth Secretariat, OAU Headquarters, Nigeria and other African countries. This caused a severe retrogression in the recognition of Ghana's integration efforts of Africa. 22 Ibid., p. 317. 23 Victor Essien, Regional Trade Agreements in Africa: A Historical and Bibliography Account of ECOWAS and CEMAC, Published in October 2006. Accessed from www.nyulawglobal.org on 26/08/08 24 Ibid