The ECOWAS Court of Justice in une 2026, found Ghana liable for violating the right to freedom of movement of a Ghanaian woman whose passport renewal application was not processed.
The case was brought by Mary Omerere, a Ghanaian who had previously been issued a Ghanaian passport valid until December 2023.
Omerere applied for the renewal of her passport through the Ghana High Commission in the United Kingdom. However, questions were subsequently raised about the authenticity of her birth certificate and her Ghanaian nationality.
She maintained that she had been recognised as a Ghanaian citizen and had previously been issued a Ghanaian passport. She also provided further documents in support of her nationality.
Ghana did not file a defence or appear before the ECOWAS Court.
The Court nevertheless considered the evidence before it and held that the failure to process the passport application, in circumstances that prevented Omerere from effectively exercising her right to return to Ghana, violated her right to freedom of movement under the African Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The Court ordered Ghana, within six months of notification of the judgment, to take the necessary administrative steps to process Omerere’s passport application in accordance with the law and due process, and to communicate its decision to her in writing.
The Court also awarded her US$15,000 in compensation for moral prejudice and ordered that her costs be assessed by the Registrar.
Full judgment:
