The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS in collaboration with UNDP on Tuesday opened a five-day conference to deliberate on the role the court could play to entrench and promote human rights and democracy in the sub-region.
The conference would also help the participating judges and jurists to explore more ways in arbitrating electoral conflicts should they occur within the member states.
The conference on the theme: "Human Rights, Democracy and Good Governance: Role of the ECOWAS Court of Justice", is being attended by legal and judicial practitioners from ECOWAS institutions, other regional courts and some international partners.
Justice Anwa Nana Daboya, President, Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, said many states within the sub-region have made significant gains in the adoption of democracy, good governance and respect for human rights.
"There is also the will of various states and governments to support and hold fast onto democracy which most of the people have embraced", she said.
She expressed unhappiness over some of the excesses characterizing the election processes of some member countries where ballot boxes have been snatched and politicians, who having lost elections, still find some excuses to stay in power, resulting in conflicts.
Ms Daboya said the conference would lead to the delivering of a communiqué after the various presentations and discussions to help strengthen institutions and entrenched democracy.
Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, in speech read on his behalf, said in spite of the good record of human rights issues and democracy in Ghana, the country's democratic experiment was still young and faced challenges like any other developing country.
He said the upcoming December elections particularly, presents a huge challenge to Ghana since the whole world was looking up to the country to "once again demonstrate its ability to elect its leaders in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.
He reiterated government's commitment to ensuring free, fair and transparent elections in December.
Mr Justice William Atugubah, Acting Chief Justice who represented the Chief Justice Theodora Wood, said the track record of the ECOWAS Court of Justice made it imperative on the court to play a role in matters of electoral disputes.
He said the Court could also take up issues of crimes against humanity and give it the necessary jurisdiction within Africa instead of taking those crimes to other courts outside Africa.
Mr Felix Ye, Head of Democracy and good Governance Unit, UNDP Regional Office in Dakar, said despite the efforts by various African governments towards good governance and democracy, no African President was able to win this year's Mo Ibrahim award on good governance and democracy.
The yearly award is given to immediate past president of an African state for his or her efforts towards issues of human rights, good governance and democracy.
Mr Ye said nine out of 15 states of ECOWAS had ratified the protocol on trans-border corruption and urged others to do same to ensure transparency within the sub-region.