The President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice (CCJ), Justice Edward Asante, says the adoption of the electronic case management system (ECMS) by the court is crucial to efficient contemporary justice delivery.
Justice Asante stated this at the unveiling of the ECMS sensitization and training programme on Monday in Lomé, Togo, the court stated.
Asante explained that the programme was for lawyers from member states, stressing that it marked a crucial step in improving access to justice and efficiency of judicial procedures within the ECOWAS region.
‘The main objective of this programme is the sensitisation and training of lawyers and government agents from ECOWAS member states on the use of the new electronic filing and case management system.
‘The adoption of the ECMS marks a crucial step in improving access to justice and efficiency of judicial procedures within the ECOWAS region,’ the CCJ President said.
Asante disclosed that the Court accelerated its transition towards digitalisation of judicial procedu
res by adopting practical guidelines for ECMS and virtual hearings following the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘The notable innovations include electronic filing of documents, electronic service of notices of registration and the holding of virtual hearings, which all represent a significant advancement in the court’s modernisation of judicial processes.
‘Furthermore, it aims to make the court more accessible and efficient by allowing lawyers to file documents, receive notifications, and attend virtual hearings via a secure web interface,’ he added.
Asante said the initiatives aimed to equip legal practitioners with the necessary knowledge to use the ECMS effectively.
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He stressed that the court had played a central role in interpreting and applying Community legal texts and protecting human rights since 2005.
The CCJ president said the Lomé programme was the first in a series of sensitisation and training programs, with tw
o others slated for Accra, Ghana (for anglophone lawyers), and Praia, Cape Verde (for lusophone lawyers).
He, therefore, encouraged all the participants to seize the opportunity of the training and fully engage in it.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that CCJ is ECOWAS’ judicial organ, mandated to resolve disputes related to its treaties, protocols and conventions, and also entertain individual human rights violations complaints.
It was established under the Lagos Treaty of 1975 and became operational in 2001.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria