Lagos: The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, is set to conduct a sensitization outreach and external court session in Lagos State, Nigeria, from May 5 to 7, 2025, and May 8 to 16, 2025, respectively. These activities aim to enhance awareness about the Court’s mandate, jurisdiction, and operations among the citizens.
According to Ghana News Agency, the sensitization outreach and external court sessions serve as annual activities designed to foster cooperation between the ECOWAS Court and national courts of Member States. They also aim to bring the Court closer to the Community citizens at the grassroots level.
The sensitization outreach in Lagos will take place at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. The programme will include an opening ceremony attended by government officials, judges, lawyers, law students, civil society representatives, NGOs, and the public. Over the three days, presentations will cover topics such as the Court’s mandate, case filing procedures, rights of women and children, the relationship between ECOWAS Court and national courts, and the new ECOWAS Electronic Case Management System.
The event will conclude with a panel discussion on the role of governmental and non-governmental organisations in promoting and protecting human rights before the ECOWAS Court, followed by a press conference.
The external court session will begin on May 8 and conclude on May 16, 2025, at the High Court of Lagos, Osborne Annex, Ikoyi, Lagos. During this period, 35 cases will be heard, and 15 judgments delivered by different panels of the Court.
The five current honourable judges participating in these activities are Honourable Justice Ricardo Cl¡udio Monteiro Gon§alves (President), Honourable Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma (Vice President), Honourable Justice Dupe Atoki, Honourable Justice Gberi-b¨ Ouattara, and Honourable Justice Edward Amoako Asante.
Article 26(2) of the Protocol of the Court allows for the scheduling of external court sessions outside the Seat of the Court when the circumstances require it. By an Order dated March 3, 2025, Honourable President Ricardo Cl¡udio Monteiro Gon§alves authorised the holding of the external court session in Lagos.
The two-week programme was preceded by courtesy visits to top government officials in Lagos and other major stakeholders. The primary mandate of the Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, is the interpretation and application of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty and other Community Texts.
Since the adoption of the Supplementary Protocol in January 2005, the Court has seen an increase in judicial activities, partly due to the granting of direct access to the Court for Community citizens regarding certain causes of action, including human rights violations.
Previous sensitization and external court sessions have been conducted in various Member States, including Senegal, Ghana, Togo, Liberia, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Nigerian states such as Oyo and Kwara.
Source: Ghana News Agency
