From Ibrahim Muhammad
The Zamfara state house of assembly has concluded public hearing on a bill to establish multi Door Court House in zamfara state
Speaking during the event the chairman public petition Hon, Rilwanu Marafa Anka said the aim of the bill is to bring justice closer to people and encourage people to embrace peace full resolution of conflicts and reduce congestion in conventional courts.
He said all stake holders and relevant agencies have been given additional one week to submit their input into the bill in line with the state positions on Sharia law.
He said, they have visited Lagos and Kaduna where such courts were establish and study the moderlities of operational scope of ADR
In his keynote address the sponsors of the bill in collaboration with UK International development and other international partners, the project manager of Alert International Mr Sunday Jimoh said when the Bill is enacted into law, International Alert looks forward to collaborating with the Zamfara State Government and relevant institutions to support the effective establishment and operationalization of the ADR Center.
Mr Jimoh said when people have access to fair, timely, and affordable mechanisms for resolving disputes, communities are more stable, relationships are stronger, and development can thrive.
He further said establishment of the Zamfara State ADR Center will not only decongest the courts but will also bring justice closer to the people, especially those in rural areas who often face challenges in accessing formal legal systems due to distance, cost, or complexity.ADR mechanisms such as mediation, conciliation, and negotiation provide a faster, more inclusive, and culturally sensitive approach to resolving disputes.
They also encourage reconciliation and help sustain peaceful coexistence among communities values that are central to the work we do at International Alert.today’s public hearing provides a unique opportunity for all stakeholders to share insights that will strengthen the Bill further before its third reading.
Specifically, we will:Build the capacity of the staff of the Center to equip them with knowledge and practical skills in mediation, case management, and ethical standards;Support key ministries, departments, and agencies to develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) that will guide effective case referrals and coordination.he said.
And support learning opportunities to ensure that the ADR framework in Zamfara aligns with national and international best practices in access to justice and peacebuilding.Our goal is to help make the ADR Center a model of effective, inclusive, and context-appropriate dispute resolution in Northern Nigeria
He commend the House for ensuring public participation in this process a vital ingredient of good governance and people-centered policymaking.
Also speaking during the event, the emir of Anka Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad who is also the chairman of zamfara council of Chiefs pleag the cooperation and support of traditional institution and for inclusion of traditional institution in the implementation of ADR as traditional rulers have been playing vital role in dispute resolution in their domain.
He called for training and retraining of traditional rulers in dispute and conflicts resolution for effective performance.
Several stake holders spoke during the event.
