Bayelsa MDC resolves 860 cases in nine years

The Bayelsa State Multi-Door Courthouse has announced that it has successfully resolved 860 cases since its inception in 2009, achieving a 60 per cent success rate. Speaking to journalists in Yenagoa, on Monday, ahead of its first-ever Stakeholders’ Sensitisation Conference scheduled for Thursday, the Chairman of the committee, King Collins Daniel, emphasized the importance of the event in creating awareness about the BMDC’s objectives and operations.

President of the Negotiation and Conflict Management Group, Mr Kehinde Aina, will deliver the keynote address at the conference, themed “Multi-Door Courthouse as an Engine for Peace, Economic Growth, and Development.” Expected attendees include legal practitioners, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, the Niger Delta Development Commission, host communities, oil companies, market women, and representatives from government ministries, departments, and agencies.

Daniel explained that the BMDC can be accessed in two ways: individuals can walk in and speak with a dispute resolution officer, or cases can be referred by a magistrate or high court. According to him, the BMDC was established to “enhance access to justice by providing alternative mechanisms to supplement litigation, minimize citizens’ frustrations and delays in justice delivery, and provide a standardized legal framework for the fair and efficient settlement of disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution.” He further stated that the BMDC aims to “serve as a focal point for promoting ADR in the state and enhancing the justice system’s effectiveness through ADR methods.” Also speaking, the Director of the Multi-Door Courthouse, Mrs Yingi Eke-Spiff, disclosed that the ADR initiative has maintained a 60 per cent success rate in resolving 860 cases since 2016. “We encourage parties to come, sit, and talk. When they arrive at a resolution, an agreement is signed and endorsed by an ADR judge,” Eke-Spiff explained. “It is binding on the parties. If they do not agree, they can take their case to a regular court. However, whatever transpires in the Multi-Door Courthouse remains confidential and cannot be used in court.”

Source: https://punchng.com/bayelsa-mdc-resolves-860-cases-in-nine-years/

Date: 27Feb25