President John Mahama on Wednesday swore in seven new judges to the ECOWAS Court of Justice at the Flagstaff House, Accra.

The President made the new appoints in his capacity as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The justices are Jerome Traore from Burkina Faso, Yaya Bioro from Guinea, Maria Do Cue Montero Silva from Guinea Bissau, Micah Wilkins Wright from Liberia.

The rest are Hameye Foune Mahlmandan from Mali, Friday Chijioke Nwoke from Nigeria and Alioune Sall from Senegal.

The new judges replace their colleagues from member states whose terms have expired.

President Mahama urged the Community Court justices to be impartial and honest and to contribute to the integration of the sub region.

“By taking the oath, you have underscored our community’s belief in your attributes and the value of impartiality, honesty and objectivity. These are values you must uphold and apply and demonstrate in all circumstances”, President Mahama tasked them.

The ECOWAS Court of Justice, which is headquartered in Mali, is an arbiter of cases between ECOWAS community members.

The court became operational in 2001 and is mandated to interpret and apply ECOWAS community texts on human rights.

It is also a public service court on matters between the community and its staff.

At the 44th Summit of ECOWAS held in Yamoussoukro last February, the leaders approved the judges’ appointments following the report of the Regional Judicial Council charged with the recruitment of judges of the community court.

President Mahama said a key aspect of the sub-regional integration agenda, which the court would help in achieving, was “the implementation of our community’s vision of transforming our body from an ECOWAS of states to an ECOWAS of the people by the year 2020”, he said.

The President was optimistic  the new and former judges would be able to establish ties to advance the activities of the Community Court.