Ghana’s ECOWAS court compliance hampered by lack of protocol ratification – Attorney-General’s Office
A recent workshop, organized by the Attorney-General’s Office and Ministry of Justice in collaboration with the ECOWAS Court of Justice, sought to strengthen the capacity of state attorneys to effectively represent the country in regional legal matters. Participants included chief and principal state attorneys from various divisions within the Civil Division.
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The director in charge of civil prosecutions at the Attorney General's office has disclosed that Ghana's ability to enforce rulings from the ECOWAS Court of Justice remains limited due to its failure to ratify the enforcement protocol.
According to her, judgments issued against Ghana by the ECOWAS Court and subsequently registered in Ghanaian courts often remain unenforced.
This, she explained, is because the country has not formally adopted the necessary legal framework to give effect to those decisions.
On her part, the Solicitor-General, Helen Akpene Awo Ziwu, noted a recent instance in which Ghana adhered to a ruling from the ECOWAS Court, complying with an order to release relevant information to applicants.
A workshop, organized by the Attorney-General’s Office and Ministry of Justice in collaboration with the ECOWAS Court of Justice, sought to strengthen the capacity of state attorneys to effectively represent the country in regional legal matters. Participants included chief and principal state attorneys from various divisions within the Civil Division.
Key topics on the agenda included procedures for lodging cases, managing legal objections, default judgments, and filing post-judgment applications.
Currently, Ghana's enforcement rate of ECOWAS Court decisions is approximately 30 percent—an issue attributed largely to procedural and structural limitations.
Mrs. Ziwu emphasized that although State Attorneys consistently represent Ghana in proceedings before the ECOWAS Court, meeting critical timelines—such as the 30-day filing deadline—has been a recurring challenge.
The Head of the Legal Services and Research Division, Apraku Nketiah, explained that the core aim of the workshop is to deepen attorneys’ understanding of the ECOWAS Court’s procedures and case management strategies. The training also aims to sharpen advocacy skills and improve Ghana’s capacity to comply with its obligations under regional law.
