By
Babangida Galleon
Presidential enabling business environment council PEBEC, has commenced a two day training on the operations of small courts for magistrates and court officials of Adamawa state judiciary for the purpose of speedily resolving business disputes in the state.
The training which was organized by Adamawa State action on business enabling reforms actions, a world Bank assisted program was held in Yola the Adamawa State Capital.
In her remarks during the commencement of the training, the chief justice of Adamawa state, justice Hafsat Abdulrhaman, who was represented by Chief justice Kyanson Lawanson, said the training was timely as it will help in building the capacity of personnel who will man the small courts on how to handle what is be referred to as small claims.
Justice Hafsat noted that this courts are in existence but are not fast in dispensing justice on cases ,hence the training which will enable expeditious of simple contractual obligations like debt cases and the likes are settled on time.
According to her, the personnel of the Judiciary who will under go the two days training are those to initiate this courts and two of this courts will be established in each senatorial zone of the state as a pilot initiative.
She therefore assured that if this succeeds, this is a better option for the society because it will reduce the long time waiting of cases weather criminal or commercial in nature, as it provided assurance to investors that the judicial system will always be there to protect timely.
Also in her remarks, the commissioner for Finance, Augustina Wandamiya said the courts when established will help in settling commercial disputes and once this is achieved, the government will have more income as people will continue to invest , and this is one of the fintiri led administration’s vision on ensuring an enabling environment where businesses will flourish.
She therefore called on business men to continue their activities as she charges the judges to do their jobs effectively and efficiently in settling disputes whenever they arises.
Speaking on the importance of the training, the focal person of the State action on business enabling reforms SABER , Doctor Bello Abubakar said the training which came under the disbursement indicator 8 of the SABER program has to do with the quick determination of commercial disputes whose value is not more than ten million naira and plaintiff can file case without any legal representation and the case be addressed within sixty days.
Also, the facilitators during the training, Jafar Shu’aibu and Ɓabayomi Ola said the presidential enabling business environment council came up with the training of magistrates and court officials in order to enable them to handle simple commercial disputes in the small courts within the shortest period of time so as to have an enabling business environment.
