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Tag: Edo

  • Edo: New panel begins sitting Wednesday

    Edo: New panel begins sitting Wednesday

    Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal will on Wednesday begin fresh hearing in the petition filed by candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the July 14 gubernatorial election in the state, Major-General Charles Airhiavbere, challenging the victory of Governor Adams Oshiomhole in the poll.

    The tribunal’s newly reconstituted three-member panel is headed by Justice Muhammed. A. Pindiga while Justices C.M.A. Olotoregun Ishola and A. I. Kutigi will serve as members.

    Fresh hearing of Airhiavbere’s petition was sequel to the dissolution of the former panel headed by Justice Suleiman Ambrusa.

    Justice Ambrusa-led panel was dissolved following a petition to the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC) by Counsel to Airhiavbere, Efe Akpofure.

    Akpofure alleged that Justice Ambrusa’s panel has been compromised.

     

  • Teenager inspires punctuality revolution in Edo schools

    Teenager inspires punctuality revolution in Edo schools

    •Oshiomhole sacks 30 teachers for late coming.

    A simple plea by a Senior Secondary School pupil, Amarachi Uchendu, to Governor Adams Oshiomhole to prevail on teachers to be regular in classes, especially at the Junior Secondary School level, has led to the sack of teachers in Edo State.

    It also uncovered a high level of indiscipline among teachers and students, negligence of duty and high absenteeism rate among teachers.

    After Oshiomhole landed his sledge hammer, more than 30 teachers in primary and secondary schools across the state were sacked, others are to forfeit half of their salary. Also, 41 Zonal Inspectors and Chief Inspectors of Education including Local Government Education officers were sent packing. The Vice-Principal of New Era College, Mr S.E Akhabue, was demoted from Grade Level 15 to 14 for being a perpetual late-comer.

    Trouble started for the teachers two weeks ago when Oshiomhole visited New Era College along Upper Mission to inspect the on-going construction of ultra-modern classroom blocks. The school had closed for the day and the pupils thronged out to see the governor.

    In the course of his interaction with them, Oshiomhole asked if they were happy. Amarachi, a sickle cell patient, raised her hands and pleaded with the governor to provide more chairs in the renovated classroom blocks.

    She told the governor to prevail on their teachers to be regular in classes, especially in Junior Secondary Schools, because their absence was affecting pupils academically.

    Two weeks later, Oshiomhole paid a surprise visit to some primary and secondary schools in Benin City, including Western Boys High School, Asoro Primary School, George Idah Primary School and Esomerie Primary School.

    He discovered that the Principal, Vice-Principal and seven teachers were absent at Western Boys High School. He immediately announced their dismissal from service to pave way for others willing to work.

    Besides, Oshiomhole queried some teachers for not being properly dressed to work and his check through the attendance register showed some teachers came late to school.

    At Asoro Primary School, 17 of 24 teachers were present. However, two teachers whose names were in the register were not present in school. A probe by Oshiomhole revealed that the names were written by the Assistant Head teacher of the school, Comfort Ogbeide.

    The Head Teacher of the school, Best Ehiman, was immediately queried for arbitrary absence from duty post and presence of fictitious names on the attendance register.

    Oshiomhole was further shocked during interaction with pupils of primary three when they could not pronounce the name of their class teacher.

    During his continued inspection of schools in Edo North, he frowned at pupils coming to school in mufti. He, however, gave some money to buy uniforms and one week to sew the uniforms or face being sent out of the classrooms.

    Speaking at the schools visited, the governor vowed to strictly enforce the compulsory Universal Basic Education and warned that parents and guardians who failed to send their children and wards to school would be prosecuted.

    Oshiomhole noted that the state government has provided suitable environment in the schools as well as ensured that teachers are paid good wages and inducement allowances and as such teachers must deliver

    He said: “These beautiful classrooms are useless if teachers don’t teach the students. Government will sack and replace teachers who do not show good attitude to work.

    “We have to make sure people earn their pay. No politics in school. If people do not submit to your authority, when you punish the person, find out if the governor will intervene. If you excuse the person, then I will punish you.

    “Any time a teacher does not show up in school, the students will be wasting their time. The head mistress will also be queried because she has the responsibility to explain to me why people are allowed to sign fraudulently on the register when they are not present.:

    He continued:“I am not happy with some teachers who are not punctual and are in the habit of not coming to work. The government will take disciplinary action against them.

    “Teachers who are absent from school will be dismissed because we cannot continue to pay them. We will employ those ready to work to earn their wages, while those who are late will forfeit part of their pay.”

    Zonal Inspectors, CIEs and Local Government Education officers attached to schools were sacked after last week’s State Executive Council (SEC) meeting. Their plea to be forgiven was rebuffed.

    One of them said he did not check school registers whenever he went for inspections.

    Oshiomhole said the sack was the outcome of continuing performance audit to sanitise the education sector, adding that explanation by the officials showed that they have breached their basic duties to monitor schools and file reports.

    He said the state government has lost millions of naira of taxpayers’ money because of their failure to do their duties.

    According to him, “You are guilty of negligence of duty and even abandonment of your duties. I believe that, most times, you don’t even come to work. We do not need this set of Zonal Inspectors of Education, Chief Inspectors of Education and Local Government Education Inspectors.

    “The days are gone when people don’t do their jobs. It’s shocking that you recognise that you are supposed to have written reports, yet you fail to do so.

    “I am happy that parents and guardians are returning their children and wards to public schools as a result of the massive investment we have made in the education sector, yet, you who are to ensure that teachers work do not do so.

    Oshiomhole added:“I’m not hiding the fact that only those who are willing to work will keep their jobs. Everybody must be accountable. I am accountable to the Edo people, the House of Assembly is accountable, and so if we are accountable, who are you not to be accountable.

    “It’s a new Edo, everybody must be put on notice to work and justify their pay. I have a duty to remind you that when you have abandoned your job, you have also lost it,” he said.

    Reacting to the governor’s action, State Chairman of All Nigeria Conference of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Comrade David Ikidi, said Oshiomhole did what others refused to do.

     

     

     

    Ikidi said teachers must be alive to their responsibilities and expressed optimism that Oshiomhole might rescind the sack action.

    State Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Teachers Comrade Akin Adeojo said they had made a plea to the governor to temper justice with mercy. He said the sack would be counter-productive.

    Adeojo said it was not the best to announce dismissal without giving fair hearing to the teachers.

    “We don’t like the action but we don’t encourage truancy and laziness. Due process was not also followed. We will appeal to Governor Oshiomhole to allow them go back to the classrooms,” hesaid.

     

     

     

    He explained that the NUT leadership usually organised forums where teachers are told to be responsible to their jobs and society.

    Commissioner for Education, Ekpenisi Omorotiomwan who justified the sack, said the government’s investment in education would be a total waste if such action were not taken.

    The commissioner disclosed that more than 150,000 pupils pulled out from private schools to join public schools in the state.

    He noted that teachers were not conscious enough to know that it was not business as usual with the volume of money the state is spending and encouragement given to them.

    According to him, “I have cautioned them. I have suspended some when necessary. This is something I have been doing since I became commissioner. What the governor has done is the climax of what I have been doing.”

    He said he couldn’t do what the governor did because his powers are limited as a commissioner.

    During the last Teacher’s Day celebration on October 5, the State Chairman of the NUT, Comrade Patrick Ikosimi appreciated the state government for prompt payment of salaries, re-introduction and regular payment of subvention to schools and rehabilitation.

    Investigation revealed that more teachers and education officers are to be affected in coming weeks. Sources said the state government has decided to investigate alleged falsification of age and certificates declared by the teachers.

     

  • Amnesty urges Edo to stop execution of prisoners

    Amnesty urges Edo to stop execution of prisoners

    Amnesty International on Monday appealed to the Edo State government to stop the execution of two condemned prisoners in the state.
    The inmates could be executed as early as Tuesday, sources told Amnesty International, prompting the organisation to call for their appeals to be respected and preparations of the gallows to be halted.
    The news came three weeks after the Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, signed their death warrants.
    According to information received by Amnesty International, neither the convicted prisoners nor their families have been informed of the planned date of execution.
    “The Nigerian authorities must immediately halt any plans to execute the two prisoners on death row in Benin City prison,” said Lucy Freeman, Amnesty International’s Deputy Programme Director for Africa.
    “The inmates are party to an ongoing appeal and the judicial process must be respected.
    “To go ahead with any execution of prisoners when their death sentence is still being challenged in the courts is a flagrant violation of human rights.
    “Refusing to provide convicted persons and family members advance notice of the date and time of execution is a clear violation of human rights. It is cruel, inhuman and degrading,” Freeman added.
    Prison wardens at Benin City prison were seen preparing gallows for the executions between Sunday night and Monday morning.
    In a cruel twist, other inmates not on death row were made to wash the gallows this morning, Amnesty said.
    A Court of Appeal ruling is still pending after a further appeal was submitted by a Nigerian NGO, the Legal Defence and Assistance Project, in March 2010 on behalf of then 840 death row inmates, including the pair in Benin prison.
    An injunction was granted by the court upholding the appeal but it was lifted in April 2012.
    The judgment remains pending on a second appeal which was filed by the organisation the same month.
    Oshiomhole, according to Amnesty, signed the execution warrants after prison authorities informed him that the death row inmates in Benin City prison were “becoming unmanageable.”

  • Ondo REC: we’ve learnt lessons from Edo election pitfalls

    Ondo REC: we’ve learnt lessons from Edo election pitfalls

    Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner Akin Orebiyi spoke with Deputy Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU on preparations by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the governorship election in the state.

    How prepared is INEC for the challenge of October 20 in Ondo State?

    We can confidently say that INEC is fully prepared for the conduct of the governorship election. As we speak, we have been receiving non-sensitive materials from INEC headquarters. We have also done quite a number of meetings with stakeholders. We have rounded up the voter education forum at the local government level. The essence of the voter education forum is to educate the voters on their responsibilities, their duties and also the procedures for the conduct of the election and the election process on the election day. It has been a useful experience and a unique one. This effort is being sponsored by the International Federation of Electoral System (IFES), a partner of INEC in the last 13 years.

    What are the elements of the voters education programme?

    The voter education forum involves two major activities. One, there is a stakeholders’ meeting at the local government level, which runs for three hours. There, the electoral process is explained to the stakeholders, political parties, members of the civil society organisations and officials of the National Orientation Agency and INEC officials in the local government. Questions are taken and answers are provided by INEC. After that, we did a road show and distributed flyers and posters. IFES provided 540,000 flyers and nearly 200,000 posters in English, Yoruba and Ijaw languages for the benefit of the electorate. we have been distributing them at the forum and various religious worship centres. We have presented to the political parties and electorate soft copies of the voters’ register. We have explained to them what to find inside the voters register and how the information could also help them to muster greater efforts in canvassing for votes at the 18 local governments, 203 wards and 309 polling units across the state. We have trained the 334 agents of 13 political parties. We have trained our supervisors for the election. We will have 223 supervisors for the election. UNDP sponsored the second training for party agents. The first one was sponsored by the International Republican Institute (IRI).INEC has also conducted training for presiding officers and assistant presiding officers. The bulk will come from the National Youth Service Corps. Whatever shortfall we have will be filled by students of tertiary institutions.

    What are the rules and regulations guiding the governorship campaigns?

    The first is understanding the process itself. We are urging the political parties and electorate to adopt the electoral process as their own. The campaign started on July 24. It is to end on the eve of the election, October 19. Any other campaign after that is a violation of the guideline. All campaigns must end on Friday, October 19. On election day, there must not be any campaign. There will be no movement around the state on the election day. Each voter will only go to his or her polling unit. Party agents are not allowed to roam about the streets. There is a party agent for a political unit. Government officials and party officials are not allowed to move around. They cannnot carry weapons to election grounds on the day of election . Security will be provided adequately. You are meant to carry to the polling booth only your voter’s card. If you don’t have a voter’s card, don’t bother to come to the polling unit. Accreditation will start 8.am. It is going to be different this time. This means our officials, men and materials would have arrivedat the 309,000 polling units at 7 am. Even, if there is delay, they should be there by 7.30 am. Accreditation will take place between 8.am and 12 noon. After accreditation, voting will start by 12.30 pm. But any polling unit where accreditation of voters does not end by 12 noon, the presiding officer will count the number of people yet to be accredited and he will now ask the security officer on duty to stand behind the last person on the queue, which means nobody can join the line after 12 noon.The implication of this is that voting may not start in some units at exactly 12.30 pm. When voting starts, it does not end until the last accredited person has voted. That means voting will not end at a particular time. After voting, there will be sorting of the ballot papers according to the political parties voted for. There will be counting and after counting, there will be announcement of results. Only results would be announced and no winner will be declared at that level. Voters are free to stay within the vicinity, two or three hundred metres, to watch the entire electoral process on election day. After the announcement of results, voters are advised quietly to return home. We will move from there to the ward collation centre to do the collation of all the polling units in that ward. We announce the result, we don’t declare winner. From there, we move to the local government collation centre. Then, we move to the state collation centre at INEC office in Akure where the final collation will be done and results will be announced.

    How are you responding to the complaints of political parties raising eyebrow about the voters’ register?

    There have been complaints about the voter’s register. We perfectly understand their feelings and they are based on the previous experience they had about INEC as the electoral umpire. INEC officials in the past have been part and parcel of the elections in the past. They have been partisan. But since Prof. Attahiru Jega came in with his new commission in June 2010, INEC has changed completely. It has very fair and unbiased in its activities and all the elections and rerun elections. This will also happen here on October 20. We are going to make sure that every aspect of the election will be laid open in a transparent manner for everybody to see.Concerning the voters register, we have organised a lot of stakeholders’ meeting, enlightening, informing and educating voters and political parties about the voters’ register. Also, we have reverted to the manual voters register as a back up where we are not able to use electronic voters register. Their names will appear this year as an addendum. The only difference is that it will not carry photographs of the voters. INEC is doing its best to ensure that the voters register is credible. After we released the voters register on September 20, I can say that, up to today, no party has officially approached us to complain about the voters register. When a party agent is given a voters register for his unit, he can verify whether the names are those who live in the vicinity or not. What we released last year was tentative. it has been upgraded now.

    When was the voters register displayed by INEC?

    The law says voters register should be published 30 days to election. That was what we did on September 20 when we gave political parties a soft copy each. The point is that the voters register has over 80,000 pages. So, if you want to publish it, newspapers will not be able to finish it until the day of the election.That is why we have the benefit of the soft copy. We have 1.6 million voters. On the day of the election, we will display voters register for the units.

    What special arrangement is INEC making for the conduct of the election in the riverine areas?

    We have two local governments in riverine areas; Ilaje and Ese-Odo local governments.There are one or two polling units by the river in Irele, one island in Odigbo local government. Ilaje local government has 181 of its polling units on water. Ese-Odo has 67 of its polling units on water. What we did was to work closely with security agents. We had had toured the creeks for about four hours, assessing the polling units there, the wards, and meeting with the community leaders there, seeking their understanding and cooperation. So, we have done a lot of assessment concerning the difficult terrain in the riverine areas. In addition, we are making preparation for boats from Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa states. We will also hire boats locally here to complement what INEC is providing. We are looking at not less than 68 boats for the election. We have obtained life jackets to take care of hundred of people in the riverine areas on election day. In order not to get late to the polling units, we are going to move election materials a day ahead for Ilaje local government. Parties’ agents will also accompany them to Igbokoda where we are going to warehouse the election materials until they are moved to the wards.Within an hour or two after opening the 203 wards so that men and materials can get to the 3,009 polling units without delay on October 20.

    What were the lessons INEC had learned from the recent governorship election in Ondo State?

    A lot. We have learned to be open and transparent, explain everything in details to the stakeholders. We must regularly feed them with information at various levels. We have learned to carry all the political parties along in whatever we do. We respond to their questions promptly across the 18 local governments.In terms of the challenges encountered in Edo State like the late arrival of materials to a number of polling units, we want to prevent this here. We will leave by 5 am and within two hours, we are the various polling units, ahead of the 8 am when polling units are expected to open. There was protest about the use of the addendum. We have been telling people since July this year that the addendum will be used. It was rejected in Edo State because they said they did not know in advance. So, we have been telling the people on radio and television.

     

  • Edo farmers seek measures to avert food crisis

    Edo farmers seek measures to avert food crisis

    Farmers in Edo State have called on the Federal Government to take urgent measures to avert imminent food crisis as a result of flooding in parts of the country.

    The Coordinator, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), in Edo North Senatorial district,Alhaji Abdulahi Mohammed, made the call in an interview with journalists in Auchi.

    Mohammed observed that the floods had destroyed hundreds of hectares of farms in the state, adding that “even, the few farms that may have been spared, will have poor harvest’’.

    According to him, in Edo North alone, the flood destroyed all farmlands in Etsako Central, Etsako East and Esan South-East Local Government Areas.

    He explained that rice, yam and cassava farmers were mostly affected by the flood.

    “Without rice from Udaba, Udochi and Anegbette in Etsako Central, yam and cassava from Etsako East and Esan South East, there will be no food in the state.

    “It is, therefore, urgently imperative on government to find a lasting solution to the problem to avoid serious food and health crisis as well as social problems”.

    Similarly, Mr Ekins Jimoh, an extension agent with Edo Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), called for financial grants and farm inputs to farmers in the state to reduce the effect of the flood disaster.

    Jimoh said: “All the farmers need from the federal and state governments now are farm inputs like seedlings, fertilisers and tractors to assist them to get back.

    “The farmers lost all they had laboured for throughout the year to the flood, and in order to encourage them to cope with the situation, government should, as a matter of urgency, come to their aid’’.

  • Edo traders mob govt official

    A member of the Edo State Environmental Protection and Regulatory Unit, Mr. Henry Isibor, has died at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) after he was beaten up by traders at the Oba Market Road in Benin.

    Isibor was said to be on an official assignment to get rid of traders selling on the walk-ways when he was mobbed.

    Executive Director of the Environmental Protection and Regulatory Unit Maj. Lawrence Loye (rtd.) confirmed the incident.

    Loye said his men were working on his instructions not to fight the traders, but they will henceforth defend themselves, if attacked.

    He said the traders injured his men, some critically, leading to Henry’s death.

    Loye presented some cash to Henry’s widow, Joy, and their four children.

     

  • FADAMA farmers lose billions to Edo flood

    Edo State Coordinator of FADAMA III Project, Mrs. Judith Momodu, on Monday said farmers benefiting from the project  lost billions of naira to flood in the state.

    Momodu said the entire rice production belt in Edo was washed away by the flood which affected three local government areas in the state.

    In a chat with our correspondent, the coordinator disclosed that some of the things destroyed by the flood include facilities used by the farmers for their activities.

    She said many of the farmers have started harvesting their crops when the flood struck.

     

     

  • Edo distributes relief materials to flood victims

    Edo distributes relief materials to flood victims

    The Edo State Government yesterday began the distribution of relief materials to flood victims.

    Over 30 communities in three local government areas of the state have been submerged.

    The materials include mattresses, blankets, clothing, food, toiletries, beverages and drugs.

    Doctors and nurses were also on ground to attend to the victims’ medical needs.

    The distribution was handled by the Edo Relief Committee and the State Emergency Relief Agency.

    Committee Chairman Hajia Maimuna Momodu assured the materials would be evenly distributed.

    She urged the Federal Government to assist the state in alleviating the suffering of the victims.

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole had earlier ordered the release of N100 million for the provision of relief materials to the victims.

    When the governor visited the submerged communities, many of them were no longer accessible.

    He had to inspect some in a helicopter and others in a canoe. Oshiomhole said: “What has happened is an act of God and no one can challenge the will of God. In other parts of the country, we have heard of the loss of lives, but, so far, we have not recorded any death. Let us pray that the river goes back to its boundary.

    “President Goodluck Jonathan is concerned about this calamity. The government will try as much as possible to reduce the hardship suffered by the people by providing relief materials. What we cannot change we will bear.

    “We will send relief materials, which must be shared to everybody, irrespective of party affiliation.

    “Doctors would be sent to treat the sick. We will also send buses to take those trapped in the flooded communities to the rehabilitation centres.”

     

     

    “The entire area is in a terrible shape. We could not even land the helicopter because everywhere was flooded. I was surprised, because I passed through these communities a few months back and everything was okay. This is a serious natural disaster and it is not limited to riverside communities. Even communities that are more than three-four kilometres away from the river have been taken over by water.

    “Farmlands have been destroyed and property lost. I saw dead goats and sheep floating on the water. I had to paddle the canoe to move round the affected areas. A whole church is right inside water; it is unbelievable.

    “Nature is angry. We can only pray that God takes control and the water recedes. Of course there are immediate and long terms social and economic consequences, but in the long run, I believe the state and Federal government would find long and short term solutions, should this kind of thing happens again.

    “Presently, I do not see any scientific thing we can do to get rid of the water. We have serious humanitarian challenges and I think the immediate one is to provide food and shelter.”

    Richard Okowele (41), who has lived all his life in Illushi, said he has lost a part of his house and what is left of it is on the verge of collapse.

    For Isaac Isimoni, his two wives and 11 children, they are hoping that help gets to them before the Ilushi Secondary School, where they are squatting, is completely taken over by flood.

    At Udochi, Mallam Musa Aliu said: “We woke up one morning and saw that water had taken over our community. Several houses have been submerged and we have lost our property. We were forced to abandon all we had. I have no clothes anymore. I have been wearing this cloth for the past two weeks. Many people were injured, but we thank God that no one died. The council chairman brought food for us and that is how we have been feeding.”

    President of the Udochi Development Asociation Zakari Jubril, an engineer, said: “We were scared of an epidemic, but the evacuation of victims to relief centres has alleviated our fears. We pray the water level subsides, so that the people can go about their normal life again. People had to climb trees for survival; it was a pitiable sight.”

     

  • Edo gets new court rules

    Edo gets new court rules

    The Edo State Judiciary yesterday replaced its 24-year-old Civil Procedure Rules with a new one, which the State Chief Judge, Justice Cromwell Idahosa, said was designed to strengthen and aid access to justice.

    Justice Idahosa spoke in Benin, the state capital, at the unveiling of the new court rules.

    He said it was the hallmark of the Rule of Law and would guide court proceedings.

    Justice Idahosa said the new rules would endear in the hearts of the people a renewed faith in the administration and a rekindled hope for the speedy dispensation of justice.

    He said the extant rules in use since 1988 have become obsolete and was being employed to waste valuable time.

    The CJ said: “The result was that cases could last up to seven years and in some inexplicable instances up to 10-15 years.

    “This is not a desirable state of affairs as it shows that the Judiciary is not playing its role, which generally is to settle disputes between all persons, states and governments.

    “The idea is to have a system that resolves these disputes without disputants resorting to self-help or violence, which could lead to a breakdown of law and order.

    “A good system for resolving disputes is one that is independent, transparent, accountable, efficient, cost-effective and timely.”

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole cautioned the Judiciary against unethical professional practices and unhealthy collaboration with the police.

    Oshiomhole urged the Judiciary not treat anybody as a sacred cow.

    He said: “Just recently, the police in this state arrested an innocent person and charged him for murder without any convincing evidence. This should never happen in a democracy. It is as bad as Decree Two under the military.

    “When the police abuse their power by arresting innocent people, the judiciary should refuse to assist them to legalise it. I praise the courage of the judge, who granted the person bail, even though the police did not obey it. I also hail the second judge, who finally granted the bail that the police had no choice but to comply with.

    “The court should expedite action on matters where the issues before it are clearly frivolous, especially in granting bail application, and where they discover rascality in the police force, such they should be exposed.”

  • Edo Judiciary gets new court rules

    Edo Judiciary gets new court rules

    Edo State Judiciary yesterday replaced its 24-year old civil procedure rules with a new one which the State Chief Judge, Justice Cromwell Idahosa said was designed to strengthen and aid access to justice.

    Justice Idahosa, who spoke in Benin City at the unveiling of the new court rules, said it was the hallmark of the rule of law and represented the tool with which courts work including how proceedings are to be conducted.

    He said the new rules would endear in the hearts of the people a renewed faith in the administration and a rekindled hope for the speedy dispensation of justice.

    Justice Idahosa noted that the extant rules in use since 1988 has become obsolete and was being adroitly employed to waste valuable time.

    “The result was or rather is that cases can and even last up to seven years and in some inexplicable instances up to 10-15years in the High Court.

    “This is not a desirable state of affairs as it shows that the Judiciary is not playing its role which generally is to settle disputes between all persons, states and governments whereas the idea is to have a system that resolves these disputes without disputants resorting to self-help/violence which could lead to a breakdown of law and order.

    “A good system for resolving disputes is one that is independent, transparent, accountable, efficient, cost-effective and timely, “ the chief judge said on Tuesday.

    Speaking at the occasion, Governor Adams Oshiomhole cautioned the Judiciary against unethical professional practices and unhealthy collaboration with the police.

    He urged the Judiciary not treat anybody as sacred cow.