The Ogun state government has embraced the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) system, with the commissioning of a multi-door court house in Abeokuta, the state capital.
The commissioning of the multi-door court house is expected to improve the administration of justice and facilitate quick and effective resolution of conflicts throughout the three senatorial districts of the state.
At a ceremony held at the premises of the Ogun State Magistrate Court in Abeokuta, and attended by members of bar and bench, the State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, represented by his Deputy, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, assured residents of the commitment of his administration towards quality judicial system in the state.
“It is a common opinion of the people that the wheel of justice drives slowly, but in order to eliminate the slowness of the wheel of justice in the state, as well as re-position our justice administration in line with contemporary requirements, the Ogun state judiciary has again blazed the trail by introducing the multi door courthouse.
“Today, the Ogun state government in partnership with its judiciary, shows unalloyed support for the introduction of the multi door courthouse to engender an atmosphere that will be less expensive, simplified and faster but yet effective in ensuring that ultimate justice is delivered,” she said.
Also addressing the gathering, the state Chief Judge, Mrs Olatokunbo Olopade, said two more courthouses are to be established in two other senatorial districts of the state as panel of neutrals.
She also revealed that the President of the Chartered Institute of Mediators and Conciliators said the courthouse may be empowered to try criminal offences.
“The Ogun state judiciary in collaboration with the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators has trained the panel of neutrals who are to serve in this courthouse and practice direction to guide the workings of the Ogun multi door courthouse.
“It is our desire in Ogun state judiciary to establish two more multi door courthouses in Ijebu Ode, and Ota respectively, in order to ensure the availability of alternative dispute resolution to all and sundry in the three senatorial districts of the state with a view to bringing justice nearer and closer to the people.
“For now, they are focusing on civil matters, but ultimately if they, the Ministry of Justice is interested in criminal dispute resolutions, they can also approach the institute to explore plea bargaining as a means of settling criminal disputes”.
It is now expected that the new system would help in de-congesting the prisons as well as be a faster solution to the cases of people awaiting trials at different prisons across the state.
