Lawyers tasked on rule of law promotion in Africa

Lawyers tasked on rule of law promotion in Africa
Uche Iheanacho, Abuja

Lawyers in West Africa have been urged to see public interest litigation as a mechanism towards the promotion of the rule of law in the region.

Nigeria’s Attorney General, Mohammed Adoke, said this on Thursday, while declaring the conference on the promotion of the use of public interest litigation as a tool for democratisation and establishment of rule of law open in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The conference under the umbrella of the West Africa Bar Association, WABA has the theme: “Promoting the use of public interest litigation as a tool for democratization and establishment of rule of law”.

Public Litigation

The conference, which drew together legal luminaries from private and public sector, is an opportunity for experience sharing, promoting and strengthening issues of public interest litigation in the West Africa region.

The Attorney General also, called for greater collaboration in the area of public interest litigation.

He noted that Nigeria was on the right road map towards strengthening its democratic practices and adding that this conference was very apt as the country has just concluded one of its adjudged free and fair elections.

Background

Lawyers from the sub-region, including the President of the African Bar Association, gathered in Abuja in 2004 to establish West African Bar Association (WABA) for the promotion of rule of law, fundamental human rights and democracy in West Africa.

WABA’s emergence came at a time when lawyers had begun to take advantage of the amendment of The Protocol on the ECOWAS Community Court to challenge the violations of the human rights of ECOWAS citizens.

WABA Objectives

WABA’s major objectives include pushing for the respect for human rights in West Africa and the adherence to international human rights instruments, particularly the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights;

It is meant to provide improved legal services to the public including efficient legal aid services to the poor in the sub-region; and encourage co-operation with other professional associations and bodies, such as the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) and International Bar Association (IBA).

WABA’s main funder is the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).

Williams