West African Chief Judges assess ECOWAS court

Fourteen Chief Judges of different West African Countries including Sierra Leone’s Lord Chief Justice Umu Hawa Tejan Jalloh have embarked on a two days assessment of ten years existence of ECOWAS Community  Court of Justice, service to community Law and perspectives” since its establishment in 2001.  (Photo:  West Africa’s Supreme Courts Presidents and a Battery of Legal Luminaries Assessing ECOWAS Community Courts)

Declaring the two days session open, ECOWAS President H.E. James Victor Gbeho described the timing of the celebration and Theme: “The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS: An Assessment of Ten Years of Service To Community Law and Perspective” as very appropriate, because ECOWAS finds itself at the very heart of the struggle to restore democratic order and rule of law in its member States.

The ECOWAS President used the opportunity to praise the high level of Cooperation among the organs of the Community and said “it is gratifying to note that in spite of the threats of democratic reversals in some member states that have recently tested the resilience, courage, and robustness of our regional institutions, the community institutions, especially this honorable court have discharged themselves creditably in ensuring the restoration of democratic order in Cote d‘Ivoire.”

Your Lordships, within the period of existence, the Court has established itself as a credible and independent adjudicator among Community citizens.

“It has not only done justice, but is largely seen by stakeholders as having done justice to most of the cases filled before it. It has also established itself as a resource base, through which the commission gauges the severity and fashions responses to old and emerging human rights challenges such as women and child trafficking, slavery, corruption, poverty, level of political freedom, and issues of environmental rights.”

The ECOWAS President said the Court has made significant contribution to the integration of legal cultures, practices and procedure in Member States. “It has also contributed to the development of legal practice by providing an avenue for Lawyers and litigants to seek legal opinions and judgments on issues critical to their well being.

“The Community Court has done this through Land Mark judgments, against illegal and unconditional acts by Governments of member States, through pronouncements aimed at the protection and promotion of the fundamental human rights  of community citizens,  by way of judgments upholding regional  and international norms, by judgments against environmental degradation and notable judgments bordering on the protection and promotion of the economic , social and political rights of community citizens and the strengthening of the institutional infrastructure of governance and not the least by judgments among disputing community interests and groups, which have helped in restoring peace and order to member states.

In this connection I wish to express my profound gratitude to the President of the Court Hon. Justice Awa Nana Daboya and their Lordships, Justices of the Community Court for deeming it fit to organize this event to celebrate the achievements of the Court.

Earlier, Nigeria Bar Association’s first Vice President Emonena Blessing Ukiri expressed gratitude to the Community Bench for inviting them to the “stock taking” event, marking the tenth anniversary of the Community Court.

While commending the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government for their demonstrable political Will and commitment in establishing a judicial organ for the articulation, interpretation, implementation consideration and application of regional community laws in the best interest of justice and sustainable economic integration in the West Africa sub region, he questioned the use of access to competent court of jurisdiction if there are no mechanisms for the enforcement of its decision.

Emonena Blessing Ukiri (Esq.) assured the leadership of the community court of Nigeria Bar association’s preparedness to lend a hand in the establishment of a Legal Aid system for a more grass root oriented legal practice to be built around the Court in the overall interest of the Millions of exploited and vulnerable indigent Citizens.

Several other speakers including Honorable Justice Muhammad Lawal Uwais (GCON) former Chief Justice of Nigeria, and representatives of West African Bar association, International Non Governmental organizations etc spoke on different topics.

The Session was formally declared open by Nigeria’s Justice Minister Mohammed Adoke (SAN).

Other members of the Sierra Leone delegation include Consultant Master and Registrar Mrs. Sarkodi Mensah and Justice of the High Court, Hon. Mr. Abdulai Charm.

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