Ghana in Search of Regional Integration Agenda 111 minority parties from 1979-1981, gave vent to regional integration concerns. While seeking the unity of the African continent, the UNC and its counterpart, the PFP also hoped to foster cooperation among Ghana's immediate neighbours(Daily Graphic 1979: 9 and 10). Due to the long hiatus of political parties from national affairs after the December 31 1981 coup d'état, the ECOWAS suffered major setbacks: for instance, the epoch was marked by political turbulence in West Africa that manifested in incessant coups and counter-coups as well as accusations of sabotage by neighbouring governments of Togo, Ghana, Burkina Faso, among others(Crotty 1993:668). The resultant strained relations among Heads of State of these ECOWAS member-states brought severe attrition to whatever unity and cohesion that had been achieved toward West African integration in the 1970s(Nugent 2004:205-210). However, since democratic renaissance in 1992, the emerging Ghanaian political parties have positioned themselves to play an active role in the West African integration process. There may be more than fifteen registered political parties in Ghana, including the National Democratic Congress(NDC), New Patriotic Party(NPP), the Convention People's Party(CPP) and People National Convention(PNC). Others are the Democratic People's Party(DPP), Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere(EGLE), Great Consolidated Popular Party(GCPP), Ghana National Party(GNP), National Reform Party(NRP), United Ghana Movement(UGM), Ghana Democratic Republican Party (GDRP)and the Democratic Freedom Party(DFP), among others. Of these, only the NDC, NPP, PNC and CPP have been most active on the political field with constant representatives in the national Parliament. The power alternation in 2000 and 2008 revolved around the NDC and NPP – the two dominant political parties in the country. Interestingly, the new political elites have almost invariably chosen the regional integration approach as the'clean' path toward the acceleration of national development As the NPP noted: A strong and vibrant ECOWAS will not only be a stimulus to our national development but will also serve as a springboard for the realisation of an African Economic Community(NPP, Manifesto 2000:24). One of the NDC's manifestos also captured vividly the spirit of regional integration that seems to be the new focus of the Ghanaian political parties: The peace and process of globalization is rapid. It is integrating states, regions and economies on a phenomenal scale and it is in this light that regional groupings as instruments for expanding production bases and achieving greater competitiveness become relevant(NDC, Manifesto 2008: 35).