The Chairman of the House Committee on FCT Judiciary, Rep. Adamu Gamawa has reaffirmed the commitment of the legislature to enhancing prompt dispensation of justice in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Gamawa disclosed this on Wednesday during a public hearing on two bills in Abuja.
The first bill borders on constitutional amendment, which has to do with the increase in the number of Judges in the FCT.
The second bill is an establishment bill of lower Courts for the FCT, Abuja with jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases and matters.
He affirmed the resolve of the House of Representatives to make Justice not just accessible but available to all irrespective of class.
“It is the vision of the Hon. Speaker that access to justice is made available and affordable to all and sundry in the FCT.
“Such that no one would have any reason to take the laws into their hands as justice would be timely,” he said.
Gamawa, who reiterated the House commitment to the functional judiciary, said a strengthened judicial system was key to restoring public confidence in the judiciary.
According to him, in line with this noble vision, therefore, the two bills under consideration today would be examined.
He said that the public hearing would therefore be the platform to discuss constructively and to cross fertilise knowledge and ideas, thereby getting the best law that would achieve set goals.
The chairman said that the intention was to make access to justice simple and fast. thereby making the workload of our judges less cumbersome
While declaring open the event, he Speaker Tajudeen Abbas said that the public hearing was critical in enhancing judicial reforms.
Represented by the Deputy Minority Leader, Rep. Aliyu Madaki, the speaker restated the commitment of the House to the rule of law and fair justice administration.
He said that reforms in the country’s judicial system were necessary and also very urgent.
The President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr Afam Osigwe said that the NBA was in support of the bill.
Osigwe, however, solicited for a shift in the customary laws and demanded for the excision of section 16 of the principal Act.
