Reforms: ECOWAS decries reduction of judges

President of the court, Justice Jerome Traore made this known during the ongoing ninth judicial retreat of the court in Nasarawa State on Wednesday.

Traore said the decision of the authorities to reduce the number of judges from seven to five would “not augur well for the court”.

NAN reports that the the institutional reforms was announced in Monrovia, during the  statutory meetings of the ECOWAS on June 2017.

Traore said that it was pertinent to strengthen the court to ensure effectiveness in its functions.

“The least that can be said, is that the institutional reforms announced in Monrovia, during the recent statutory meetings held in June 2017, does not augur well for the development of community justice in our sub regional space.

“Against all odds, it is a paradox that this was the time chosen to proceed with a reduction in the number of judges from seven currently, to only five, if the envisaged reforms were implemented.

“At a time when more litigants are coming before the court, it becomes more necessary than ever to strengthen our court and surround it with all the guarantees of independence and efficiency.”

He said that part of the aim of the retreat would be to deliberate on the reforms and come up with measures to “reverse” the decision to reduce the number of judges.

Also, Mr Tony Anene-Maidoh, Chief Registrar of the court, however, said that the court had yet to receive an official proposal to that effect.

Anene-Maidoh further explained that there were ongoing institutional reforms across all ECOWAS institutions aimed at saving costs.

“We have been reliably informed that there is a proposal to reduce the number of the judges of the court from seven to five; we are still waiting for the proposal to be communicated to the court officially, but we intend to respond.

“The new proposal is very devastating for the court because a time that calls for the establishment of an appellate chamber within the court is not a time to contemplate reduction.

READ: Court orders Buhari, Osinbajo to tell Nigerians names of suspected looters

“Judges are statutory appointees and there is a decision by the ECOWAS authorities to reduce the number of statutory appointees to save cost,” he said.

He also added that the court was currently not satisfied with the tenure of the judges and urged for a review in line with global best practices.

“Initially it was five years which could be renewed; it was reduced to four years, non-renewable and this does not happen in other international tribunals and is not in the interest of the community or the court.”

He said that the retreat would examine the organisation and functioning of the court in view of the ongoing institutional reforms.

He also said the meeting would review the recommendations of past judicial retreats for implementation to further strengthen the effectiveness of the court.

The ninth judicial retreat has as its theme “The ECOWAS Court of Justice: Prospects for Growth”.

Other objectives include deliberations on the organisation and automation of court processes, collaboration with other institutions and the enforcement of the decisions of the court.