Ghana in Search of Regional Integration Agenda 29 Broadly speaking all the ministries form part of the Presidency and each of the other state institutions listed above falls under one ministry or the other, but they have been individually isolated here for the direct impact each of them has on regional integration. The Cabinet By Article 76(2) of the 1992 Constitution, the Cabinet assists'the President in the determination of general policy of the government'. Like in other areas of state activity, policies relating to regional integration are discussed and approved at the cabinet level. This is usually tabled by the President or the ministry directly affected by a particular policy. To facilitate the work of the cabinet, the ministries whose portfolios extend beyond the domestic sector(Foreign Affairs, Trade, Finance, Defence, etc) are represented on various inter-Ministerial Policy Advisory Committees to ensure greater participation in the decision making process(Bluwey 2002: 48). After the cabinet decision, the policy, if it requires changes in the law, is laid before Parliament for ratification before implementation can be effected by the relevant ministry or state institution. A major role of the Executive in regional integration, therefore, is the signing and ratification of ECOWAS Protocols(with Parliament). As at 2005, Ghana had ratified 45 out of 46 ECOWAS Protocols, the exception being the ECOWAS Protocol on Education and Training(Benneh 2005: 5). These ratifications mark an impressive achievement on the part of Government of Ghana and Parliament to incorporate into Ghanaian law, schemes for a free trade area, the free movement of people, regional defence cooperation, infrastructural development, regional transport and communication networks, etc(Ibid). While ratification of protocols is a vital first step in the implementation of these international instruments, the challenge is how to ensure the effective application and implementation of these Protocols. This entails commitment on the part of the government and the identification of institutional weaknesses at various levels (Ibid: 6). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD The central pillar of the foreign policy is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which in the case of Ghana, now specifically includes Regional Cooperation and NEPAD. It is the responsibility of the Ministry to advise, assist and make recommendations to president in formulation of foreign policy and to see to the implementation of those foreign policy decisions of the Presidency(Bluwey 2002: 49).