The 2012 presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akufo-Addo has challenged president John Mahama to use his new position as ECOWAS Chairman, to impact positively on the lives of the people in the sub region.

President Mahama is the third Ghanaian president to have headed the sub regional body after Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor, following his election last weekend as new ECOWAS Chair.

In a release issued Wednesday to congratulate him in his new office, Nana Addo noted, the president must seize the opportunity to hasten the process of West African integration which will benefit the over 300 million people.

"This will impact positively on the lives of the 340 million people who live in West Africa, as it will, amongst others, allow for the free movement of people, goods and services across borders, thereby assisting in the transformation of West Africa’s economies, creating jobs for its people, and providing decent lives for its populations," the statement noted.

While wishing president Mahama luck in his new office, Nana Addo emphasised, the president's "tenure of office as ECOWAS Chair should be marked by concrete steps taken towards the integration of ECOWAS".