PRESS RELEASE;FCTA TO PARTNER WITH HIGH COURT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS’ COURT IN FCT

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has pledged

 to partner with the FCT High Court for the establishment of a 

Children and Young Persons’ court in the FCT.

Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello who made

 the pledge  at the opening ceremony of the 2019/2020 legal 

year of the FCT High Court, said the FCTA will support the courts

 initiatives and innovations designed to ensure that an efficient

 justice dispensation system is entrenched in the FCT.

Malam Bello also pledged support for the High Court in its desire

 to make Abuja the Centre of Arbitration for local and international 

contracts. He said the move would be beneficial to the FCT

 considering the volume and importance of the transactions that 

occur in the nation’s capital.

The Minister commended the FCT judiciary for the innovations

 brought to FCT court system and processes, especially the 

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) option which, he said, 

has helped in settling many land and property disputes 

which usually proved to be expensive and time wasting at

 litigation.

In his words: “The Alternative Dispute Resolution approach to 

resolving matters, which you have often advocated, has helped 

in settling many disputes in the FCT, especially land and property

 disagreements which have often proven to be costly and time

 wasting had they gone to litigation.

“The innovations you have brought to the FCT court system 

and processes have encouraged many litigants to choose 

to have their cases heard in the FCT courts when such 

matters are sometimes outside your jurisdiction. This clearly 

demonstrates the level of confidence the general public has 

in our court processes here in the FCT”.

The Minister also used the occasion to assure residents and 

visitors of the FCT of the determination of the FCT Administration

 to keep the territory safe, free of criminalities, while stressing 

that random acts of criminality will not be allowed to define 

the FCT.

In his remarks, the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice

 Ishaq Usman Bello, urged lawyers to cultivate the habit of doing

 pro bono work of providing legal services to those who cannot

 afford to pay the fees. He said lawyers who engage in pro

 bono services will be rewarded as he had already introduced 

a merit award for lawyers who engage in such selfless services in

 the FCT.

The Chief Judge also assured all residents and visitors of the FCT 

that all case determinations will be according to merits and 

supported by the law, adding that no political, social, economic

 and other consideration will influence the outcome of any case.

ANTHONY OGUNLEYE

CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY

15/10/2019

FCTA/OCPS/PR/61