NIGERIAN Bar Association President, Mr Augustine Alegeh (SAN) has affirmed NBA’s commitment to the nation’s administration of justice system which he said must ensure prompt and effective determination of matters of litigants , judges and lawyers.
He stated this while inaugurating the NBA’s Committee on Rules and practice.

The 12-man committee which has Prof Fidelis Odita SAN, QC as its Chairman, Lagos NBA branch Chairman- Alex Mouka as secretary , is to review existing rules and practice of courts and come up with recommendations within the scope of its terms of reference .

Speaking at the event , the NBA president stated that “ our administration of justice system must ensure prompt and effective determination of matters in a manner that the interest of litigants , judges and lawyers and other users of justice system is made paramount and addressed accordingly.

In this regard, cases must be resolved timeously; the lawyers and judges must be provided with a suitable work environment with rules that make it possible to aid justice delivery system . The citizens who interface with the judicial system must also feel satisfied with the level of service delivery” .

He added that the NBA “does not possess the legal power to determine the Rules and Practices in our courts but as a crucial part of the justice delivery system the NBA has a duty to put forward clearly its position on how best to make the system work better and also push for the implementation of its position in all our courts .

“It is on this basis that this committee has been set up with following terms of reference:

To review the existing Civil and Criminal procedure Rules in Courts in Nigeria and propose all such amendments , modifications and new rules that are required to update our Rules and aid the speedy dispensation of justice .

“To review existing practices and operation of our justice delivery system and propose all such amendments, modifications and additions that are required to aid the speedy dispensation of justice . To draw up and propose modern Sentencing Guidelines for all our courts.

To draw up and propose modern Ball Guidelines for all our Courts. To draw up and propose modern practicable Guidelines for Award of costs for all our courts. To identify , recommend , propose and/ or draw up such other Rules and practices that would aid the overall justice delivery system in Nigeria.”

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