Kwara builds infrastructure to support ECOWAS regional integration

In the spirit of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional integration, particularly common market in West Africa, Kwara State is building infrastructure to support ties with Republic of Benin.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq stated this, yesterday, in message at the opening ceremony of a week-long sensitisation campaign of the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Ilorin, the state capital.

In the message delivered by his deputy, Kayode Alabi, the governor said with an area of over five million square kilometres and an estimated population of 418 million, it is imperative that the court continues to play a significant role in cementing the legal regime for the development of the region through its adjudicatory mandate in the settlement of disputes.

“An example is the international market we are building in Gbugbu, which will attract people from across Nigeria and West Africa. This is particularly important as the concept of one market and free trade continues to gain currency across, not only the sub-region, Africa, making it necessary to involve the justice system in the socio-political evolution,” the governor said.

He pledged the support of his government to the campaign and praised the court for the initiative of organising the campaign to enhance public awareness of its activities.

According to him, it will impact positively on the rule of law in West Africa.

President of the court, Justice Edward Asante, explained the campaign as a yearly activity of the court in member states designed to deepen the knowledge of citizens about the court and how to access it.

“The essence of the sensitisation is to create awareness about the court; its mandate, jurisdiction, jurisprudence and practice and procedure among ECOWAS citizens in the 15 member states,” the President said in the address delivered by Justice Dupe Atoki.

Earlier, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Salman Jawondo, who is a member of the country’s inner bar, spoke of the benefits of the campaign for legal practitioners and citizens, especially with the adoption of the 2005 Protocol on the Court, which grants individuals access to the court for matters relating to human rights violations.