Ebonyi govt creates citizens’ mediation centre, multi-door Court for justice delivery

Ebonyi State Government has taken significant steps to improve access to justice for its citizens.

The state has established a Citizens Mediation Centre and a Multi-Door Court to provide alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

The Citizens Mediation Centre is exclusively for indigent persons who cannot afford to pay lawyers. According to Dr. Ben Odoh, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the centre has disposed of 86 cases free of charge, promoting safer access to justice.

“This centre is exclusively for the indigent persons, who have cases but do not have money to pay lawyers,” Odoh said.

The Multi-Door Court, on the other hand, is designed for individuals who can afford lawyers but prefer not to go through the traditional court process.

“These are for litigants, who do not want their matter to go through the technicalities of litigation,” Odoh explained.

The state government has also established a Sexual Gender-Based Violence Response Department to handle cases of sexual assault, defilement, and rape. This department is in collaboration with the office of Her Excellency’s pet project.

Governor Francis Nwifuru’s administration has made significant strides in justice reform, including signing 18 executive bills into law and recruiting 150 judicial staff to boost the manpower needs of the judiciary.

The state government has also digitalized and automated its case management system, improving efficiency and reducing delays.

According to Odoh, the Ministry of Justice has concluded 122 out of 590 criminal cases, while 468 remain pending. In civil matters, 445 out of 897 cases have been concluded, with 452 pending.

The establishment of these new initiatives demonstrates the government’s commitment to improving access to justice and promoting a more efficient and effective justice delivery system.