Ghana in Search of Regional Integration Agenda 131 been a major objective since the establishment of ECOWAS. Consequently, the strategy of market integration has been adopted with supporting measures for facilitating increased intra-regional trade. The companies covered by the interviews in the three countries(Ghana, Nigeria Cote d'Ivoire) – all recognised the vital role that the integration of the West African economies could play in the socio-economic transformation of the region. Given the global trends towards regionalisation, the industries were unanimous that the sub-region should not be left out, if it was to become an active player in the global market and ensure sustained economic growth and development in member countries. Specifically, potential benefits of integration perceived by the private sector include: • the growth of new industries and the strengthening of existing ones • economies of scale resulting from the large market created by integration • real product and income creation • employment generation • integrated development of infrastructure • promotion of healthy competition in terms of efficiency, quality and productivity. Industrial Partnerships within ECOWAS Region Companies and business associations surveyed in Ghana, Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire were unanimous that the private sector should spearhead the integration process. The revival of the Federation of West African Manufacturers Association(FEWAMA) was considered a step in the right direction. This would, however, require a thorough coordination and an arrangement of common strategies and actions among private sector associations. FEWAMA was established by the manufacturers' associations of West Africa to: • Promote the establishment of national manufacturers' associations in member countries of ECOWAS where they did not exist. • Promote and sustain a permanent link between association of manufacturers and related sectoral organisations in the sub-region. • Provide a forum for disseminating information and formulating general policy with regards to industrial, labour, social, legal, training, and technical matters for industrialists within the sub-region. • Promote intra-regional trade in locally manufactured goods within the context of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme(ETLS). • Identify and harness local sources of raw materials for processing and for industrial utilisation.