By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko
Some legal practitioners have called for sustained improvement in judicial infrastructure, processes and systems to improve the sector in 2025.
The lawyers made the remarks in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Friday.
One time
Oyo State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Mr Oluseun Abimbola, called for the establishment of operational protocols for registry operations and its enforcement with integrity.
“We cannot impose by court rules, sanctions on parties and lawyers for the delay in filings, etc., and there are no concurrent sanctions (administrative or otherwise) when the delay is from the court registry.
“This diminishes efficiency in the system,” said Abimbola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Abimbola called for improved training of court staff, discipline, and the need to revisit compartmentalising the roles of heads of court and the Judicial Service Commission to create efficiency.
“Administration of courts and its systems all over the world is now professionally run for improved efficiency.
“It is not merged with the judicial function of administration of justice itself, which is the role of the judges.
“We need to interrogate these issues with a view to innovating for better efficiency, these are ongoing conversations geared toward a reform.
“I am hopeful the judicial reform process will fully address all these in 2025,” said Abimbola.
According to him, while the judiciary has continued to strive for reform and better outcomes, the system remains hamstrung by institutional challenges.
He mentioned challenges of decaying infrastructure, ill-trained registry staff, lack of modern tools, not enough judicial officers to preside over matters in many jurisdictions as well as people problems.
“I read a narrative of an affidavit scam run by some court registries; horrific as it sounds, we are yet to see a decisive response from the affected court to crush such obnoxious practices.
“As efforts are being made to improve on building court infrastructure, and increasing wages, we must also not shun the need to address our human challenges.
“The challenges, once brought to the fore, should force a change in work culture and discipline in the system,” said the former attorney-general.
Mr Ibrahim Lawal, Ibadan Branch Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), said judiciary workers could only improve when the sector emphasised training and retraining.
Lawal also urged the sector and governments to provide an enabling environment for the workers to do their jobs effectively.
He, however, advised the workers to be more committed to their work.
The NBA boss also urged those connected with the administration of justice to perform their roles with sincerity and courage.
“The judiciary in Oyo State did its best, taking into account the number of judges on duty in the better part of the year.
“The number of judges in contradiction of the number of cases in their dockets shows they performed above average.
“We hope that having appointed 10 more judges, the performance will be better in the new year,” Lawal said.
Similarly, Mrs Mahmudat Yussuf, Partner at Mondial Solicitors, called for an enabling environment for the justice sector to thrive and meet the rising demand for settlement of disputes.
Yussuf also called for adequate provisions for the transition from longhand writing by judges and magistrates to tech-enabled gadgets that could record and transcribe proceedings.
This, she added, would reduce the strain on them and enable productivity.
“The Oyo State judiciary has been impressive despite that our judges and magistrates have been overworked.
“With the newly appointed judges, we look forward to better days ahead.
“There is still a need for improved service delivery and adequate notice of adjournment if the courts will not be sitting.
“This will enable productivity and save time from travelling all the way for a matter that will not be going on.
“Giving adequate notice will also reduce the risks associated with travelling,” she said.
She identified effective dispute resolution mechanisms and access to justice as yardsticks to measure development in a society. (NAN)
