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CJN pledges to tackle infrastructural challenges in lower courts

By Lawrence Njoku (Enugu) and Oludare Richards (Abuja)
04 April 2017   |   4:06 am
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen has assured that essential infrastructures would be provided in lower courts to boost the duties of judicial officers.

Justice Walter Onnoghen

Enugu judiciary workers resume strike
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen has assured that essential infrastructures would be provided in lower courts to boost the duties of judicial officers.

The CJN, who is also the Chairman, Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute (NJI) said this at a national workshop for judges, directors and inspectors of area, Sharia and customary courts at the NJI complex in Abuja.

“I am aware that these courts have poor infrastructure and it can be very uncomfortable to sit there for long period of time. Bathroom facilities are non-existent, stationeries and basic office equipment are also not available and welfare is generally considered inadequate,” he said.

The CJN said the theme of the workshop “Enhancing Administration of Justice in the Area/Sharia/Customary Courts” is apt, especially where access to justice begins largely in the lower courts.

The CJN, who was represented by a Justice of the Supreme Court (JSC), Olu Ariwoola, said the courts must adapt to the complexities and number of cases by adopting information technology (IT) solutions.

Meanwhile, courts in Enugu State were shut yesterday as judiciary workers resumed the industrial action, which was suspended in 2015 over the inability of the state government to implement the Consolidated Judiciary Salary Structure (CONDUS) and financial autonomy for the sector.

The workers under Enugu State Judiciary Staff Union (JUSUN) in January 2015 began an industrial action over the inability of the state government to implement the judgment of the Federal High Court Abuja delivered in 2013, which granted autonomy to the judiciary and implementation of CONDUS.

But six months after, the strike action was called off, following the intervention of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who promised to abide by the terms of agreement signed by the immediate past administration and the union.

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