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By Philomina Attah<\/p>\n
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Abuja<\/p>\n
The ECOWAS Court of Justice on Wednesday opened a three-day training for journalists from Member States covering the Court, to enhance accuracy and public understanding of its mandate and jurisprudence.<\/p>\n
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The training, holding in Abuja, is aimed at creating an effective network of journalists regularly reporting the activities of the Court to increase its visibility across the sub-region.<\/p>\n
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Declaring the training open, the Vice President of the Court, Justice Sengu Koroma, who represented the President of the Court, said public understanding of the Court\u2019s mandate remained limited due to gaps in reportage.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe Community Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of ECOWAS, charged with the main function of interpreting and applying ECOWAS legal instruments.<\/p>\n
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\u201dIt promotes the Rule of Law and safeguards human rights of citizens and people in the ECOWAS sub-region.<\/p>\n
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\u201cHowever, public understanding of the Court\u2019s mandate, processes, procedures, and the impact of its judgments on the people and region remains limited due to gaps in journalists\u2019 reports on the Court,\u201d Koroma said.<\/p>\n
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He stressed that accurate and responsible reporting would enable citizens to better understand the Court\u2019s decisions and their implications.<\/p>\n
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\u201cTo report judicial proceedings accurately, journalists must have a clear understanding of the court\u2019s mandate, its jurisdiction, composition, and structure.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThey must distinguish between the pleadings of the parties and the findings of the court, based on evidence,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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Koroma warned against bias and sensationalism in judicial reporting.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt is of paramount importance that journalists in reporting the decisions of the court must avoid bias, sensationalism, misinformation, and disinformation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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He also urged journalists to use their platforms to engage Member States on compliance with the Court\u2019s judgments.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe judgment enforcement mechanism of the court gives Member States the responsibility of enforcing the judgments of the court, which at the moment is below expectation,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
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Mrs Marie Saine, the Court\u2019s Deputy Chief Registrar, in an address of welcome, said the training marked the beginning of a more structured engagement between the Court and the media.<\/p>\n
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\u201cYour presence here represents more than the commencement of a training programme.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt marks the beginning of a more structured and sustained engagement between the Court and the journalists, who play such an important role in informing citizens,\u201d Saine said.<\/p>\n
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She said the impact of any judicial institution cannot be measured solely by the number of cases it determines, but by how well it is understood.<\/p>\n
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\u201cA court must also be understood. Its mandate must be understood. Its procedures must be understood. Its decisions must be understood.<\/p>\n
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\u201cFor the overwhelming majority of citizens, the courtroom is not a place they enter every day. The journalist serves as an important bridge between the Court and the public,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
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Saine noted that court reporting required professional judgment to distinguish between allegations and established facts, and between submissions of parties and findings of the Court.<\/p>\n
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\u201cAn inaccurate report can misrepresent a litigant\u2019s position, distort the substance of a judgment or create a misunderstanding of the law,\u201d she cautioned.<\/p>\n
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Earlier, Ms Elohor Ovadje, Head of Division, Public Information and External Relations, said the training aligned with the Court\u2019s Strategic Plan 2026-2030 with the slogan \u201cJustice for All by 2030\u201d.<\/p>\n
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She said research had shown limited public understanding of the Court\u2019s processes and impact due to gaps in journalists\u2019 knowledge of its legal framework and terminology.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe overall objective of this training is to create an effective network of journalists across ECOWAS, who are regularly reporting on the Court\u2019s activities.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThis is to increase visibility, so the people we serve will know what is going on, and what the impact is on them,\u201d Ovadje said.<\/p>\n
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According to her, the training will equip journalists with skills to extract facts correctly from official sources, promote objective and balanced reports free of bias, and strengthen advocacy for compliance with Court decisions.<\/p>\n
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She listed expected outcomes to include improved quality and accuracy of reports, enhanced public awareness, and establishment of a network of journalists specialised in judicial reporting.<\/p>\n
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the training will feature technical presentations, participatory sessions, and a live court session on Friday.(NAN)<\/p>\n
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