Commission establishes 3 new ADR centres in Jigawa

NAN-H-82
Centres
Dutse, Oct. 26, 2016 (NAN) Jigawa State Justice Sector and Law Reform Commission said it had established three additional Community Law Centres for the quick dispensation of justice.
Executive Secretary of the Commission, Lawan Buba, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Dutse.
Buba said the centres were located in Babura, Miga and Guri Local Government Areas, representing the three senatorial districts of the state.
He explained that the centres were established to provide free legal services and also serve as dispute resolution centres to the people of the state.
According to him, the centres were also established for reconciliation of issues between disputing parties.
Buba added that the centres were equipped with trained personnel who acquired life skills and depth understanding in processes of mediation between disputing parties.
“So people don’t need to go to court, because reconciliation is better as it saves time and it helps in de-congesting courts.
“No one is compelled to accept any judgement in these centres as reconciliation is done only when the two parties involved agreed.
“And after reconciliation, everything is documented and an MoU is signed which will be taken to court for endorsement; once it is endorsed, then it becomes a consent judgement,” Buba explained.
He further told NAN that the gesture was part of the commission’s strategies to achieve its mandate in conflict resolution and peace building in the state.
Buba described dispute as an inevitable event in all facets of life permeating all societies.
“The dynamics of societal relationships which revolve around competition, misunderstandings, breaches of interpersonal agreements and hostility among individuals, have contributed greatly to the endemic nature of disputes in communities.
“Therefore, alternative dispute resolution method employed by the commission has been very useful in resolving disputes at a reasonable time to parties involved in disputes,” he added.
The executive secretary further described the ADR method as a time-saving one that did not require the ultimate decision to be made formally by a court.
According to him, services rendered by the centres are free of charge, adding that “no one will charge you kobo for any service in these centres.”
Buba further explained that the centres also provided free legal services to individuals.
“But we do that only to indigent people, that is people with no income, and we provide the lawyers for free in both civil and criminal cases,” the executive secretary said.
According to him, the commission has a total of nine community law centres across the state, adding that the centres would be established in all the 27 local government areas of the state.
He therefore urged the people to patronize the centres in order to save time, money and settle their differences out courts. (NAN)
MNB/EAL/WOJ
(Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi / Wale Ojetimi)