ECOWAS court bemoans non-enforcement of verdicts

AS the Community Court of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) begins another legal year yesterday, the leadership has bemoaned non- implementation of the court's rulings.The Vice President, Justice Benefeito Mosso Ramos, while answering questions from journalists in Abuja yesterday said 'more than 60 per cent of the court's rulings are not enforced as many of such cases end on preliminary objection' thereby undermining the impact of the court.He said the court has passed judgment on about 180 cases, noting that 'it is the decision of the member states to enforce the decisions of the court, but we have the situation where most of these countries delay the implementation of these decisions.'The theme of this legal year celebration is 'The Community Court of Justice and the effectiveness of the implementation of ECOWAS Community Law.''The community legal order will be greatly enhanced if national courts of member states refer questions of Community law to ECOWAS Court of Justice for interpretation,' Justice Mosso Ramos stated.The Court Registrar, Tony Anene Maidoh, said though the court is independent of the member states and institutions of the community, through the representatives of the member states, decisions that would enhance effective implementation of the court decisions can be achieved.
Click here to read full news..