The Judicial Council of the Economic Community of West African States, has said it is combing its extant laws and reviewing the level of implementation of its past rulings by member states.
The move came days after Nigeria’s Attorney-General and the Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), called on the ECOWAS Court of Justice to refrain from issuing orders and judgments that were impossible to enforce.
“We’ve set up two committees; one to look into the rules and the other to look into the position or the status of the enforcement of judgments of the community court,” said the President of the ECOWAS Judicial Council and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, after closed-door talks with President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday.
At the opening session of the statutory meeting of the ECOWAS Judicial Council on Tuesday, Fagbemi told participants, “It is important for the court to pay attention to the peculiarities of member states and refrain from issuing orders and judgments that are practically incapable of enforcement. There is also a dire need to promote and deepen alternative dispute resolution measures within the region.”
Responding to Mr Fagbemi’s comments on Thursday, Ariwoola said, “The Attorney-General gave that as part of his pitch at the opening session on Tuesday and that is part of my remarks to Mr. President, also this morning that the issue on the enforcement of the judgments of the community court is going to be looked into.
“We’ve set up two committees; one to look into the rules and the other to look into the position or the status of the enforcement of judgments of the community court and as I told Mr. President, by the time the council concludes its meeting, the recommendations will show that we have worked so hard to support the commission.”
The CJN said the council apprised the President of the discussions held at its recent meeting.
“The meeting with Mr. President went on beautifully. This is a courtesy visit to Mr. President by the ECOWAS Judicial Council. As the Chief Justice of Nigeria, I was elected the Chairman of the ECOWAS Judicial Council.
