The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has marked its 50th anniversary with support to the Dzorwulu Special School in Accra, presenting food items and educational supplies to pupils with special needs.

The gesture, estimated at $5,000, took place on May 28, 2025, and forms part of activities being held across ECOWAS member states to commemorate the founding of the sub-regional body.

Speaking during a brief presentation ceremony at the school, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Ghana, Mr Mohammed Lawan Gana, said the support was intended to include children with disabilities in the regional celebration.

“This is ECOWAS Day and also the 50th anniversary of the founding of ECOWAS. We deliberately chose to support a school for children with special needs to show that they are part of us and that we are carrying them along in the region’s development,” Mr Gana said.

Mr Mohammed Lawan Gana

He added that the anniversary is not only a time to look back on what ECOWAS has achieved, but also a time to take stock and consider how best to advance the goals of integration, especially in the face of current challenges in the region.

Mr Gana noted that ECOWAS is maintaining dialogue with member states that have temporarily withdrawn from the bloc and is working to address security concerns affecting the region.

At the school, the donated items included foodstuffs and stationery, intended to support both the academic and nutritional needs of the children.

Headmaster of Dzorwulu Special School, Mr Frederick Tetteh, welcomed the donation and said it would help supplement the school’s limited resources.

“We are happy ECOWAS Ghana remembered us. It is not easy caring for these children, especially when a teacher has to manage several children with different conditions at the same time,” Mr Tetteh said.

He explained that the school currently has 52 staff supporting children with conditions such as autism, Down Syndrome and multiple disabilities, and called for additional teaching and non-teaching staff to improve care and learning outcomes.

He added that feeding the children four times a day is a major responsibility that requires support from outside the school’s limited budget.

Mr Tetteh also urged parents of children with special needs to enrol them in appropriate institutions, saying such schools can equip them with skills that will allow them to live productive lives without depending solely on government assistance.

The ECOWAS 50th anniversary celebration was officially launched in Ghana by President John Dramani Mahama on April 26.

A summit was also held in Lagos, Nigeria, featuring some of the surviving founding members of the bloc, as part of the ongoing commemorative events.