Zamfara Assembly ends public hearing on bill for multi door court house
By IBRAHIM KANOMA, Gusau
The Zamfara State House of Assembly has concluded its public hearing on a bill to establish multi Door Court House in the state.
Speaking during the event, Chairman Public Petition, Hon. Rilwanu Marafa Anka, said the aim of the bill was to bring justice closer to people and encourage them to embrace peaceful resolution of conflicts and reduce congestion in conventional courts.
According to him, all stakeholders and relevant agencies have been given additional one week to submit their inputs to the bill in line with the state positions on Sharia Law.
He said, “We have visited Lagos and Kaduna where such courts were established and studied the modalities of operational scope of ADR.”
In his keynote address, one of sponsors of the bill in collaboration with UK International Development and other international partners, the project manager of Alert International, Mr Sunday Jimoh, said what will happen if the bill is passed.
“When the bill is enacted into law, International Alert looks forward to collaborating with the Zamfara State Government and relevant institutions to support the effective establishment and operationalization of the ADR Center,” said Mr Jimoh.
He added that “when people have access to fair, timely, and affordable mechanisms for resolving disputes, communities are more stable, relationships are stronger, and development can thrive.”
He further said establishment of the Zamfara State ADR Center will not only decongest the courts but will also bring justice closer to the people, especially those in rural areas who often face challenges in accessing formal legal systems due to distance, cost, or complexity.ADR mechanisms such as mediation, conciliation, and negotiation provide a faster, more inclusive, and culturally sensitive approach to resolving disputes.
“They also encouraged reconciliation and help sustain peaceful coexistence among communities values that are central to the work we do at International Alert.today’s public hearing provides a unique opportunity for all stakeholders to share insights that will strengthen the Bill further before its third reading.
“Specifically, we will:Build the capacity of the staff of the Center to equip them with knowledge and practical skills in mediation, case management, and ethical standards;Support key ministries, departments, and agencies to develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) that will guide effective case referrals and coordination,” he said.
He said the establishment will support learning opportunities to ensure that the ADR framework in Zamfara State aligns with national and international best practices in access to justice and peacebuilding.
“Our goal is to help make the ADR Center a model of effective, inclusive, and context-appropriate dispute resolution in Northern Nigeria
He commended the House for ensuring public participation in the process of a vital ingredient of good governance and people-centered policymaking.
Also speaking during the event, the Emir of Anka Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad, who is also the Chairman of Zamfara State Council of Chiefs, pledged the cooperation and support for the inclusion of traditional institution in the implementation of ADR.
This, according to him, “is because traditional rulers have been playing vital role in dispute resolution in their domains”.
He called for training and retraining of traditional rulers in dispute and conflicts resolution for effective performance.
