Dr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has been elected president of the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) Network for ECOWAS countries.
The network includes Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Ojukwu pulled eight votes out of 12 votes to be elected for a term of two years.
He took over from Dr Joeseph Withall, the out-going president of the network and chair of Network for African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI).
The Regional Consultation was organised by the NNHRI-WA under the auspices of the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria, in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Commission).
Co-organisers of the event are Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in West Africa (OHCHR-WARO) and the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).
In his acceptance speech, Ojukwu thanked all the participants and partners for their supports in the quest to promote and protect human rights of all citizens.
Ojukwu noted that the regional consultation was aimed at enhancing the overall roles of NHRIs toward the promotion and protection of human rights in West Africa.
“The year 2025 is a unique moment for human rights and the NHRC in Nigeria we celebrate our 30 years of existence.
“For ECOWAS, we celebrate 50 years of regional integration and for the United Nations, we mark 80 years of the signing of the UN Charter.
“ It is my hope that these milestones become impactful for the advancement of human rights in our sub-region,’’ he said.
Ojukwu said that his vision for this network was anchored on the following: mutual respect and cooperation for the promotion and protection of human rights in West Africa
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“Building of the capacity of NHRIs to be able to meet the ever-growing challenges of resourcing, governance and operations of NHRIs.
“Support sub-regional monitoring, documentation and reporting of human rights in West Africa by setting up a sub-regional Situation Room and Data Centre.
“Strengthening collaborations with our sub-regional political and judicial institutions, the ECOWAS Commission, the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice as well as the ECOWAS Parliament and others,” he said.
Ojukwu added that consolidating and opening new grounds with their development partners, UN, international and national NGOs, academic and media institutions were paramount.
He noted that with the changing nature of international development aid and the challenges of the international rule-based system, it seems this vision was already daunting.
Ojukwu added that it was challenging but with the support of each member, it would be surmounted and the network would grow from strength to strength.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that representatives of NHRIs from 12 countries in the West African sub-region, ECOWAS Commission, OHCHR-WARO and UNOWAS took part in the event.
They addressed wide range of issues through experience sharing, exchanging best practices and strengthening regional cooperation for effective implementation of strategies toward the realisation of the theme of the consultation.
A communiqué is expected at the end of the event which would guide their actions for the next two years.
