AN ASSESSMENT OF THE STATUTE AND MANDATE OF ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES TOWARDS ADVANCING HER MEMBER NATIONS*

Abstract

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was founded to advance regional economic integration in West Africa states. The Institution was established by a treaty which can be referred to as her ‘statute’ as well as aim and objectives for her operation. So far, she has existed for a period of 45 years with about 15 countries in the West Africa Sub-region. However, the challenges faced by member of the ECOWAS appear to be overwhelming for her to handle. Hence, this paper adopts the traditional legal research methodology of theoretical approach through conventional contextual analysis of published and unpublished works to assess the status and performance of the Institution. The paper first examines ECOWAS treaty and mandate which is contained in the aims and objectives of the Institution with a view to assess its performances over the four and half decades. The paper argues that ECOWAS operational structure is deliberately organised as a means of achieving the purposes of her existence and mandate. It further discusses the ECOWAS strategic plans towards achieving its mandate. The paper posits that an assessment of the Institution will reveal that she has, to a large extent, succeeded on some of the original intentions of her existence due to the achievements recorded over the years in member states but the attendant challenges have limited the realisation of other objectives yet unfulfilled.