Abuja Courts To Be Computerized In 2011
If all go according to plans, Abuja High Courts will become computerized from next year to conform with international best practices says the Chief Judge; Justice Lawal Hassan Gummi.
With these plans, all Processes and operations involved in the administration of justice in the Federal Capital Territory will become automated. This will indeed be a novel experience in the administration of justice in the country as no court in the nation’s judicial system is so computerized.
Under the expected new automated regime, litigants can file and monitor the progress of their cases online and judges will be assigned to cases electronically while court proceedings, both audio and video recordings, will be in digital formats and stored in hard disks for ease of reference and retrieval.
Justice Gummi made this known while speaking in a special joint session of the High Court, Sharia Court of Appeal and Customary Court of Appeal during activities to mark the beginning of a new legal year 2010/2011 at the FCT Judiciary headquarters in Maitama. He further said that plans have been concluded to connect the courts’ e-libraries to the Library of Congress in the United States.
According to Justice Gummi, “The automation and computerization of the court processes will improve transparency of the court’s operationâ€. He also informed participants that iPads, law pavilions and internet subscription have been distributed to High Court Judges, Magistrates, Area Court Judges and Heads of Departments, while the building of a new exhibit e-warehouse at Kuje is being planned.
On the welfare and training of staff, he assured that a proposal was before the federal government for the implementation of the recommended remuneration worked out with the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), adding that more ICT-compliant training packages are being worked out for staff in the new legal year.
He challenged the staff to be more dedicated to duty, urging them to emulate their colleagues who received awards for distinguished service. About 20 workers of the judiciary were honored on the occasion, including Mrs. Onifade Oladunsi who joined the service in 1988 on Grade Level 01 as a cleaner, but later became a Chartered Accountant.
The programme continues tomorrow with the commissioning of an ultra-modern High Court and Family Court in a settlement in Apo District of the Abuja metropolis.
By Nnamdi Felix / Abuja
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