By Lucy Ogalue
The Rivers State Judiciary, in collaboration with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC),
has inagurated a Small Claims Court to improve the speed of adjudication for commercial disputes.
Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Special Adviser to the President, Ease of Doing Business/PEBEC Secretary said this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.
According to Oduwole, the Small Claims Court will improve the speed of adjudication for commercial disputes involving financial claims under N5 million.
She said this would be achieved by introducing self representation and delivery of judgments within 60 days, among other transformative procedural rules.
“I wish to express my appreciation to the Rivers State Judiciary for collaborating efficiently with the PEBEC Secretariat team on the delivery of this reform.
“This will effectively help the delivery of speedy access to justice for Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) operating in Rivers State,” she said.
The Chief Judge of Rivers State Judiciary, Justice Simeon Amadi, affirmed his commitment to implementing more innovative reforms in the state.
Amadi said the establishment of the Court was the latest in a host of judicial reforms being implemented by the State Judiciary.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Rivers State Judiciary is the 8th State Judiciary to establish specialised Small Claims Court within its magistracy.
It joins Edo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Kano, Lagos, Nasarawa, and Ogun States Judiciaries in this intervention. (NAN)
