The Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Ishaq U. Bello, has said in order to provide Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the city, the Abuja Judicial Service Commission is working to establish the FCT Court of Arbitration.

According to CEOAFRICA’s source, Daily trust, Speaking on Tuesday during a special court session to mark the commencement of the 2016/2017 Legal Year of the FCT Judiciary, Justice Bello said the court was designed to be a premier destination for accessing arbitration services in a world class environment.

While announcing that the bill for the establishment of the court was ready, he called on relevant authorities for adequate funding of the judiciary in the FCT so that service delivery could be enhanced.

Justice Bello said the courts in the FCT were at their best during the past legal year and urged for doubling of efforts with the resolution ‘The task to clear my docket is the goal’.

 The CJ said, “In the 2015/16 legal year, 6,961 cases were filed in the High Court’s registry  and 15,673 brought forward from the previous year. In total, we contended with 22,634 cases. Of this number, 9,895 were completely disposed.

 “The magistracy recorded 16,947 cases in its docket in the 2015/16 legal year; 5,931 were filed as fresh cases while 11,016 were carried over from the 2014/15 legal year. In total, 7,695 cases were disposed of with 9,252 pending. The Abuja Multi-Door Courthouse dealt with 99 cases and disposed 67.”

He said even with the challenges, “This year, we were able to achieve the commissioning of three Magistrate Courts in Zuba, Lugbe and Mpape in addition to the two judicial divisions in Gwagwalada and Bwari that we commissioned in the 2014/2015 legal year. Our dream of opening another judicial division in the Nyanya/Karu axis is still alive. Through our estate unit, we achieved the renovation of seven courts while work on the High Court building in Jikwoyi is 70% completed.”