House Moves to Address Delay in Justice Delivery, Law Hub Advocacy Seeks Synergy

Wale Igbintade in Lagos and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
 

The House of Representatives, has resolved to organise public hearings with a view to addressing permanently the delay in justice delivery in the country.

The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a motion moved at the plenary on Tuesday by Hon. Ganiyu Ayuba.

Also, an organisation, Law Hub Development and Advocacy Centre, has called for synergy, sharing of information, knowledge and skills among stakeholders as a way of strengthening justice administration system in the country.

Moving the motion on the floor of the House, Ayuba said the judiciary was the branch of government constitutionally saddled with the responsibility of prompt dispensation of justice and interpreting the laws made by the legislature.

The lawmaker added  that  judicial powers were constitutionally vested in various categories of courts legally created by the constitution,  the Acts of the National Assembly, and the laws of different state Houses of Assembly in Nigeria.

The lawmaker pointed out that one of the elements of fair hearing as enshrined in Section 36(1) of the Constitution was the prompt determination of any civil rights and obligations of any person or authority within reasonable time by court or tribunal established by law.

He explained that the constitution  introduced provisions for quick dispensation of justice, establishing a time frame for election matters, and making the Court of Appeal the final court (in some cases) to hear appeals.

The lawmaker expressed worry that delays in the judicial system called for concern and gradually undermining the public’s trust in the judiciary.

The House, therefore, resolved to “Mandate the Committees on Judiciary, Justice, and  Constitutional Review to organise public hearings with a view to addressing permanently the delay in justice delivery in the country and restoring the confidence of the common man in the judiciary and report back within four  for further legislative action.”

However, the Executive Director, LawHub, Mr. Osita Chukwuma, at the ACJL implementation assessment and training workshop of criminal justice stakeholders held yesterday in Lagos, sought synergy among stakeholders.

Chukwuma said a good partnership between all the stakeholders in the justice sector would help the country achieve a robust sector, and further deepen the dispensation of the justice delivery in the country.

He highlighted the collaborative efforts with Law Hub and the MacArthur Foundation in addressing gaps and ensuring the smooth dispensation of justice.

According to him, the workshop also called for continued support and collaboration among stakeholders to achieve landmark success in criminal justice reform, benefiting not only Lagos State but also the entire country.

He said Law Hub was committed to supporting Lagos and other States in the Federation to achieve remarkable landmark success stories.