In a strategic move to address congestion in its Port-Harcourt division, the Court of Appeal recently held a week-long special session during which no less than 357 appeals and 272 motions were considered.

The session, held from February 16 as part of the court’s golden jubilee celebration, featured 17 panels made up of 51 Justices drawn from the court’s various divisions across the country.

During the session, the court also formally inaugurated its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) centre in the Port-Harcourt division.

Addressing the opening session, the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, said the occasion allows for reflection on the court’s enduring contributions to the country’s jurisprudence and a renewal of its commitment to faithfully discharging its constitutional mandate in the service of justice and the country.

Justice Dongban-Mensem noted that the special sitting reflects the court’s continuing commitment to enhancing the effective administration of justice, particularly through deliberate efforts aimed at addressing the volume of pending appeals across its divisions.

She explained that the panels would sit throughout the week in scheduled sessions, with some sitting at the Port Harcourt division and others at the Rivers State High Court complex.

The PCA, while disclosing that the panels were carefully constituted to ensure effective case management and meaningful deliberation in line with the court’s traditions, added that due to inadequate accommodation, morning and afternoon sessions have been scheduled.

Justice Dongban-Mensem highlighted the heavy workload borne by the court’s Justices, explaining that the court was scheduled to handle hundreds of cases in one week, requiring extraordinary effort beyond open court proceedings.

She urged lawyers and parties to approach the sitting with diligence and preparedness, ensuring processes were in order, and issues capable of causing delays were addressed in advance.

While expressing concern about the undue vilification of the Judiciary, the PCA urged members of the legal profession to defend the integrity of the institution, encouraging criticism only when grounded in facts and figures.

Justice Dongban-Mensem, who stressed the need to build an indigenous body of jurisprudence capable of being cited with pride globally, expressed delight at the appreciation of the court’s mediation efforts in the division, noting that mediation practice is now solidly grounded in the Court of Appeal Act.

Justice Dongban-Mensem expressed appreciation to the Chief Judge of Rivers State for graciously providing courtrooms for the exercise, a gesture she said facilitated the smooth conduct of proceedings.

She urged the media to ensure accurate reportage of the court’s proceedings and decisions, and encouraged them to always seek clarification where necessary.

A member of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN), Chief Onueze Okocha (SAN), who spoke for the group, commended the Court of Appeal’s leadership for the initiative.

Okocha assured the Bar of support in ensuring the success of the exercise, noting that the special sitting was in the interest of the lawyers and their clients.

He added that challenges like case decongestion and delays in hearing and disposing of matters have constituted a burden for the legal community.

“This, I believe, is a commendable gesture to ensure that many of those cases that ought to have been heard by now will be heard and disposed of,” Okocha said.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt Branch, Mrs. Cordelia Uwuma Eke, was delighted and offered many commendations for the court’s leadership for the initiative.

Mrs. Eke noted that convening the week-long special session was a way of fast-tracking justice in the Port-Harcourt division and accelerating access to justice for litigants.

She added that the exercise will also afford lawyers the opportunity to have their pending cases heard.

Mrs. Eke, who spoke about the need for the continuation of such intervention, called for the appointment of more Justices to ensure the full utilisation of the existing facilities in the division. (The Nation)