Africa-Press – Ghana. As Ghana and other members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are preparing to go for elections this year, the ECWOAS Court of Justice has said it will monitor closely the situations to help deal with electoral issues.
Head of Legal Services and Research at the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Apraku Nketia, told journalists in an interview on the sidelines of sensitisation programme for its stakeholders that in trying to help address the issues, the ECOWAS court will respect the provisions in the member countries.
“There are warnings morning committees that are sent into these countries to monitor, infractions over electoral laws and the rest. Once such infractions are flagged and then the people who are affected, let’s say if a political party thinks that some of the doings of certain government are not auguring well, they can come to remedy the situation and we’ve done it several times in Cote d’Ivoire and other places.
“So the proactiveness of the people who are concerned in the electoral matters will also help the court in living up to these responsibilities but of course, a matter of that is brought before the court under the protocol for democracy and good governance. There are so many provisions that regulate the conduct of elections in member countries and trust me if they are brought before the court we will try to make sure that respect is given to those provisions for the benefit of the citizens of the community,” Mr Apraku Nketia indicated.
The ECOWAS Court of Justice is an organ of the Economic Community of West African States, a regional integration community of 15 member states in Western Africa. It was created pursuant to the provisions of Articles 6 and 15 of the Revised Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, acknowledged the important role played by the Court in protecting human rights of ECOWAS citizens and gave assurance of Ghana’s commitment to upholding the principles of justice, unity, and progress within the ECOWAS community.
“Over the years, Ghana has demonstrated unwavering support for the ECOWAS Court of Justice through active participation in its proceedings, adherence to its decisions and collaboration with the court’s mechanisms. The nation’s proactive engagement is exemplifies its dedication to upholding the rule of law and advancing justice within the region. Ghana’s commitment serves as a testament to the pivotal role the court plays in promoting legal harmonization and resolving disputes within the ECOWAS community,” Mr Ampratwum-Sarpong stated.
“This sensitization programme holds immense importance as it aspires to further our understanding of the ECOWAS legal framework, and its contribution to a unified and prosperous West African community. I urge all participants to actively engage in the discussions, leveraging this opportunity to deepen our understanding of the ECOWAS Court’s mechanisms,” the Deputy Minister added.
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