Ghana in Search of Regional Integration Agenda 137 There is demonstrated commitment on the part of the private sector associations of the other ECOWAS countries to create common platforms to enhance the private sector participation in the regional integration processes. CONCLUSION The benefits of regional integration include gains from new trade opportunities, larger markets, and increased competition(Venables 2000; World Bank 2000b). Integration can only raise returns on investments, facilitate larger investments and induce industries to relocate. It can commit governments to reforms, increase bargaining power, enhance cooperation and improve security. These are benefits that should inure to the welfare of ECOWAS citizens if the regional integration arrangements, as defined by the various ECOWAS protocols, are in place and effective. As ECOWAS governments continue to disengage from non strategic economic activities, there will be a crucial need to tap private sector resources to finance some regional projects. Activities related to the processing of primary products for domestic and regional markets will constitute avenues for growth and diversification in which the private sector can play a major role. Opportunities for public private partnership in the provision of infrastructure – telecommunications, transport, banking and finance, etc.- will further underscore the critical role of the private sector. Is the ECOWAS private sector ready to respond positively? Effective participation of the private sector will depend on a number of factors: • The private sector has to become proactive in its own development and adopt long term investment perspectives. • The private sector must work to increase product quality and competitiveness and also become multifaceted, catering to domestic, regional and international markets. • Embrace good practices in corporate governance as well as strengthening their organisational structures. To complement the efforts of the private sector, Regional and sub regional institutions should develop additional mechanisms to facilitate private sector participation in the public private partnership process. ECOWAS should make provisions in its treaties for involving the private sector in the conceptualisation, adoption and implementation of trade policies and other regional agreements dealing with the issues of interest to private sector development. This would constitute an improvement on the current situation where the private sector is only accorded observer status.