By Edward Dankwah, GNA
Accra, Oct. 21, GNA – The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is holding a five-day orientation programme for its new judges from October 19 to 23, 2026, at Zuma Rock Resort in Niger State, Nigeria.
The programme is aimed at familiarising the judges with the ECOWAS legal framework, the Court’s mandate and jurisdiction, judicial processes and procedures, and institutional governance.
The orientation will cover sources of law and interpretation, admissibility and access to the Court, reparations and remedies, judicial ethics and conduct, and the responsibilities of judges within the Court’s collegial environment.
The judges will also receive practical training in the Court’s Electronic Case Management System (ECMS) to familiarise them with technology-enabled processes for efficient case management and improved access to justice.
The programme will introduce them to the Court’s administrative and judicial support structures, including registry operations, case-flow management, research and documentation, human resources, administration, and finance.
Other areas to be covered include information technology, security, protocol, planning, monitoring and evaluation, public information, and external relations.
A key component of the programme is the Court’s Strategic Plan for 2026-2030, known as Justice 2030, which provides the institutional framework for improving effectiveness, accessibility, efficiency, and accountability.
The session on the strategic plan will highlight the Court’s vision, mission, strategic priorities and performance framework, as well as their implications for judicial leadership.
The orientation is expected to promote a shared understanding of the Court’s practices, institutional expectations, and responsibilities among the new judges.
A former judge of the Court, together with staff from the Registry and Research and Documentation Departments, will facilitate the programme.
The sessions will feature presentations, interactive discussions, question-and-answer sessions, and plenary deliberations to encourage the exchange of perspectives and experience.
The new College of Judges comprises Justice Charlyne M. Brumskine, President of the Court; Justice DĂ©sire Henri Aihou, Vice-President; and Justices Henrietta Uzoamaka Didigu, Yaouza Ouro-Sama and Awa Bah, all members.
The programme is intended to equip the judges with the institutional knowledge and practical skills needed to discharge their judicial responsibilities effectively.
It will also familiarise them with the systems and procedures that support the Court’s adjudicative work and the delivery of justice across the West African region.
The orientation underscores the Court’s commitment to judicial excellence, institutional effectiveness, and the delivery of accessible, timely, and effective justice in the ECOWAS community.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade