Ghana in Search of Regional Integration Agenda 148 the formation of regional trade union coordinating structures such as the Organisation of Trade Unions of West Africa(OTUWA). OTUWA's commitment to regional integration is explicit in the Preamble of its Constitution, to wit,“The Trade Unions of ECOWAS member countries which are mobilised within the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity to work for the total liberation of the continent in order to ensure the true emancipation of the African workers and for the socio economic development of our continent.” It goes on to articulate the determination of organised labour to give concrete and effective support for the gigantic task of economic integration in West Africa, and to implement the decision of the 6th Summit of ECOWAS Heads of States and Governments, held in Conakry in 1983, on the mobilisation of organisations of the masses and the universities of the Sub-Region in integration process. 160 The founding instruments of OTUWA recognised the role of sub-regional organisations in the achievement of African unity, expressed its conviction for a permanent organisation to centralise and give impetus to the actions of ECOWAS workers at trade union, economic, social and cultural levels. Thus OTUWA was established“in accordance with the principles and programmes of ECOWAS.” 161 Beyond the regional and sub­regional trade union confederations, organised labour has variously collaborated with global unions. Among trade unions, the Ghana TUC, directly or through affiliates like the General Agricultural Workers Union, has collaborated with the World Confederation of Labour(WCL) and International Confederation of Free Trade Unions(ICFTU)- the two global Confederations that merged in December 2007 to become the International Trade Union Confederation(ITUC). Ghana TUC affiliates, through their affiliation with various Global Union Federations(GUFs) such as International Union of Food(IUF), Building and Woodworkers International(BWI) and Education International(EI) use various opportunities to highlight global concerns that negatively implicate the fortunes of socio-economic development and regional integration in particular. Ghana TUC also maintains bilateral relations with unions in Africa and Europe. They include Congress of South African Trade Unions(COSATU), Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC), Trade Union Solidarity Centre(SASK) of Finland, the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions(FNV) of The Netherlands and others. According to the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation-Africa, these bilaterals hold the potential of strengthening the advocacy role of the continental union 160 ECOWAS, A/REC1/5/83 161 OTUWA Constitution, Preamble.