Ghana in Search of Regional Integration Agenda 25 While the many ECOWAS protocols provide a legal and institutional framework and form a basis for higher and deeper levels of regional economic, political and social integration in the sub-region, it is recognisable also that several challenges and problems do exist, not least, the implementation and enforcement of ECOWAS decisions and policies contained in the protocols at the national level; which clearly falls within the ambit of the national governments and their institutions(Benneh 2005: 2). The issue of free movement of goods and people has been at the heart of the ECOWAS regional integration process and past efforts at regional integration have often focused on removing barriers to free trade in the region to increase the free movement of people, labour, goods and capital across international borders. However, as long as the decision making powers completely reside with national governments of member states the commitment to the implementation of regional programmes will remain at the mercy of national governments and what suits them. Official statements or declarations during sub-regional conferences are often not backed by practical commitment to the burning issues of regional integration. Over the years, ECOWAS has had to grapple with the unwillingness of leaders to appreciate the underlying principle that full integration entails the cessation of part of their sovereignty to a supranational authority, resulting in the prevalence of non­enforceable protocols. Thus to a large extent, the degree of integration in West Africa has been affected by the unwillingness of the governments of member states of ECOWAS to share their sovereignty. The nature of leadership at the national level reflects at the level of regional integration. The emergence of stronger leadership could supply the vision and necessary direction and demonstrate the sacrifice and commitment that are essential in any cooperative endeavour. A leader's vision, personal aspirations, temperament, prejudices, force of personality, ideological persuasion, moral orientation and perception of regional issues tend to have a strong bearing on the manner in which regional integration policies are put into action(Bundu 1997: 33). Thus all governments of Ghana have dealt with the sub-region but with different emphasis and effort arising from the personality and perceptions of the head of state, the context of the prevailing social, economic and political conditions and circumstances in Ghana and the state of the sub-region(Debrah 2002: 27-28). Under the circumstances, the primacy of the role of the Executive and related institutions in promoting regional integration cannot be overemphasised. What role has the government of Ghana played so far in the regional integration project in West Africa? What institutions under the Executive have roles to play and what strategies do they have in that respect? How are the activities of the various