Accra, June 28, GNA – The ECOWAS Court has been praised for its transparent, responsible and accountable management of the resources of the Community by the chairperson of the region’s ministerial committee responsible for reviewing the report of the Community’s Auditor General and External Auditors.
Diane Holo-Sacramento, who chairs the five-member Audit Committee for ECOWAS, praised the Court for its exemplary performance compared with other Community institutions, particularly its compliance with the financial regulations of the Community and also with the recommendations of previous audits which should be emulated by the other institutions.
She said that the committee, which is presently composed of the ministers from Benin, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Senegal, highlighted the committees role in overseeing the financial and internal controls and risk assessment of the Community.
The chairperson, who was accompanied by the Auditor General of ECOWAS, described the visit as routine, noting that since their mandate began in 2022, the committee had been engaged with the ECOWAS Commission and Community institutions to ensure compliance with established procedures and processes.
The President of the Court, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, who spoke at the meeting, provided an overview of the Court’s initiatives to enhance its operations, including the introduction of the Electronic Case Management System (ECMS) due for launch in September and which will improve accessibility of the Court by reducing the cost of litigation for lawyers and applicants.
He said at the meeting, which was attended by the other judges, the Chief Registrar and the Director of Administration and Finance, that the Court has begun the training of lawyers and other stakeholders on the specificities of the ECMS to ensure a hitch free operationalization and spoke of the challenges of the Court in the areas of staffing and resources.
The other members of the Committee from Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone, who were part of the delegation, also took turns to praise the Court for its efficient management of the resources of the Community.
The ministerial committee, which consists of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Rapporteur and two other members, also reviews and certifies financial statements and makes recommendations to the region’s Council of Ministers on Administrative and Financial matters.
GNA