Lagos Chief Judge Kick-Starts Project to Decongest Court of Backlog of Cases
Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Opeyemi Oke has announced the commencement of a court decongestion project, which is aimed at getting rid of the backlog of old cases that have been pending in court for as far back as 20 years.
Justice Oke said, it was not heartwarming that Lagos State Judiciary had the highest number of cases pending in court in the country.
The Chief Judge disclosed this last Friday, at a press conference held at the Ikeja High Court, to announce the official commencement of the project called ‘Court Decongestion Project’, also known as Backlog Elimination Programme.
Justice Oke said, the move was not just to decongest the courts, but also to ensure speedy dispensation of justice in the State.
She noted that President Muhammadu Buhari in a 2017 speech, had pointed out the high back log of old cases in Lagos courts.
Justice Oke disclosed that, there are a host of lawsuits that have lasted over 20 years before various courts in the State without being resolved.
According to her, 376 of such cases had been identified for review in the State High Court, and may be referred to Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) for adjudication.
The Chief Judge also noted that lawsuits bordering on land disputes, account for 67.5 per cent of the number of the backlog cases.
Justice Oke noted that the Lagos State Judiciary, which deserve a world-class judicial system, has been affected by the backlog situation.
“The Lagos State Judiciary is elated to announce the official kick off of its Court Decongestion Project, which primarily focuses on the timely disposal of all age-long cases for Courtroom effectiveness and efficiency.
“This purpose-driven project which commenced on the 22nd of January, 2018 at the High Court of Lagos State, shall be achieved by undertaking a case-by-case review of all pending cases before the Court, to ascertain the cause of delay and put in place feasible modalities, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms inclusive, for the disposal of each case.
“The Lagos State Judiciary, is convinced that the successful completion of this project, God willing, shall give the justice system in Lagos State a new lease of life.
“Over the years, congestion in our Courts has been widely identified and accepted, as a major factor militating against the speedy dispensation of justice.
“Court congestion, impedes the objective of the rule of law and robs litigants of their fundamental right to fair hearing within a reasonable time, thereby causing a delay in the dispensation of justice and clogging its wheels.
“I mean, to what end is the right to fair hearing, when the litigant loses his voice in a helplessly long wait to justice? Such litigant will eventually become too weary to speak out, and probably have the curtains drawn on his chances to fair hearing in the long run.
“It is on record that the Lagos State Judiciary has cases that date back to 20 years and beyond, and this image, if it persists, is hazardous to the economic wellbeing of the State and Nigeria ultimately.
“In fact, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, while declaring open the Bi-Annual Conference of All Nigeria Judges of the Superior Courts held between 20th and 24th of November, 2017, and organised by the National Judicial Institute, Abuja, noted the fact that Lagos State Judiciary has the highest number of pending old cases.
“This situation apparently damages the brand of a “GLOBAL LAGOS”, and one which I do not intend to see continue. Global Lagos requires and truly deserves, a world class judicial system.
“Being mindful of the challenge of court congestion which has bedeviled the Lagos State Judiciary for such a long time, we have taken the bull by the horn, by the commencement of a Court Decongestion Project as promised in my inaugural address on the occasion of my official swearing in on the 20th of October, 2017”, she stated.
The Chief Judge explained that, the project was in collaboration with 14 law firms, who had volunteered to help in the screening of all old cases pending before the courts.
She said the screening was to ascertain the suitability of the cases, for resolution by Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms.
The volunteer law firms are to work in collaboration with an Ad doc Task Force Committee on Old Cases, made up of 10 Judges of the High Court.
“The Court Decongestion Project, otherwise known as Backlog Elimination Programme as recognised by the National Judicial Policy, requires a strict but fair approach, extra work, more effort and resources”, she stated.
“To this end, a good number of Law Firms have volunteered to participate in a forensic screening exercise, under the co-ordination of Mr. Charles Adeyemi Candide-Johnson, SAN. The Law Firms are Strachan Partners, Copley Partners, AELEX Legal Practitioners and Arbitrators, Abraham and Co., Principles Law, Babalakin & Co., Kenna Partners, GRF Dalley Partners & Co., ACAS-LAW, Olawoyin & Olawoyin, Sofunde, Osakwe, Ogundipe & Belgore, Argyle and Clover, Patrelli Partners and SPA Ajibade.
“The main object of this screening exercise, is to carry out a case-by-case review of all pending cases before the High Court of Lagos State, to determine, as accurately as possible, the causes of delay and to make recommendations for the disposal of each case. More specifically, cases are also to be reviewed, to ascertain their suitability for resolution by Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) mechanisms.
“In synergy and simultaneously with this case-by-case screening review, an Ad-hoc Task Force Committee on Old Cases has been constituted, in furtherance of this Backlog Elimination Program (BEP)”, she added.
Justice Oke however, solicited the cooperation of all court users and members of the Bar, to make this project work, because judicial officers cannot achieve this feat in isolation.
“The Lagos State Judiciary therefore, solicits the cooperation of all court users and members of the Bar, to make this project work, because judicial officers cannot achieve this feat in isolation.
“Let us come together, to confront the monster of back log, and set the pace in judicial service excellence in Lagos State. This will aid to achieve a sufficient level of access to justice, for the purpose of maintaining or improving the quality of the judicial system as a whole, and the restoration of public trust in the Judiciary.”