ECOWAS Court decries poor enforcement of its decisions

The ECOWAS Court of Justice has lamented what it described as “poor enforcement of its decisions.”

Edward Asante, the President of the Court, said, in Abuja, that 70 per cent of the court’s judgements are being disobeyed across the sub-region.

“The effectiveness of the court has been circumscribed by the poor enforcement of its decisions.”

Mr Asante spoke on Monday at the opening of the court’s new building in Abuja.

PREMIUM TIMES reported in August 2022, how the court’s verdict of 2016 was being disobeyed by the ECOWAS Commission headquartered in Abuja.

The ECOWAS Commission was in breach of its regional court’s order regarding payment of about N400 million judgement debt, owed a firm, Vision Kam-Jay Investment Limited.

Similarly, the court in July 2021, ordered the Nigerian government to pay a journalist, Agba Jalingo, N30 million as compensation for torturing him while being detained in Cross River State.

A nonprofit organisation, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), had sued the Nigerian state on Mr Jalingo’s behalf.

“Agba Jalingo was arrested and chained to a deep freezer for about 34 days without being charged to court, brutalised and dehumanised,” SERAP had argued before the court.

Court solicits FCT minister’s support

The court president solicited the financial support of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister in off-setting its rent of the new office accommodation.

Mr Asante said the court contributes to the promotion of regional peace and stability through the exercise of its human rights jurisdiction.

He recalled the decade-long engagement with the Nigerian government to secure a replacement of the court accommodation due to the inadequacy of its previous Headquarters at Wuse area of Abuja.

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, lauded the Nigerian government for its support to the effective operations of the community institutions.

He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his personal commitment to the regional body.

Mr Touray expressed hope that the new office would provide the court with the necessary resources and facilities to function efficiently.

He said the court would temporarily occupy the new office space pending the delivery of its new headquarters in 2025.