ECOWAS schools members on sub-region laws

By Helena Selby
As part of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) activities in building law and order in the sub region, it has organized its third annual consultative meeting in Accra, as a means of raising awareness in its existing laws among member states.

The meeting was meant to sensitize member states in the implementation and compliance with its conventions, protocols and supplementary act, under a theme built around examining the level and effectiveness of existing legal and judicial cooperation that support investigation of prosecution of crimes in the region.

The community which seeks to enhance trade in the region and promote growth in virtually all development sectors, at the meeting exposed member states to important legal text.

The text has been established with the view to promoting compliance among member states and examines the reliance and adequacy of the laws.

With the compliance of member states on the conventions and laws, the community's objectives and activities aimed at enhancing economic stability and prosperity in the West African region is expected to come to pass.

For ECOWAS, one way of achieving these objectives is through inter-state co-operation, harmonization of national policies and integration of important programme.

The community is of the view that co-operation in legal and judicial matters as a means of establishing a harmonized legal and judicial system for the region is considered vital to the success of the regional integration agenda.

The Acting Director of Legal Affairs Directorate, Mrs. Henrietta Didigu in an opening statement stated that the annual consultative meetings were aimed at providing member states another opportunity to appreciate the community laws that underpin ECOWAS initiatives.

According to her the platform provided was a solid legal foundation for the joint and improved implementation of laws and associated programmes amongst member states.

The meeting was expected to examine important community laws that have been established to assist the community address the problem of regional insecurity arising from trans-border crimes.

'One of the most important obligations of the community is to rid the region of pernicious crimes that fan the flames of insecurity and instability within the ECOWAS space. These offences which are sometimes transnational in nature are enemies of progress as they negate all regional effort at providing human security, safety and stability, the preconditions for attainment of the ECOWAS objectives' she added.

She emphasized that West Africa continues to be plagues by very serious crimes such as drug trafficking, human trafficking and kidnapping, armed robbery and terrorism attacks among which include piracy on the high seas.

She said because of the transnational nature of these crimes, it is important that all existing cooperation instruments which would enhance the combat against crime be strengthened.

Mrs. Didigu told her audience that the commission has enlisted the financial and technical support for its partners to develop and support strategies to fight the mentioned crimes.