By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
Edo Judiciary in collaboration with the Pro-Poor Growth and Promotion of Employment in Nigeria Programme-SEDIN, has engaged100 persons on Mediation and conciliation training to facilitate Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
SEDIN is part of the Sustainable Economic Development Cluster (SEDEC) of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH that promotes economic development and employment.
Edo Chief Judge, Justice Esther Edigin, told Journalists on Tuesday
at the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) training on mediation and conciliation in Benin that the essence of the partnership was to fast track dispute settlement.
Edigin said the participants of the training were selected from the lower bench of the Judiciary, NBA, Ministry of Justice, the public and private sector organisations.
According to her, “Edo judiciary believes this partnership will lead to effective and efficient commercial ADR which will fast track commercial dispute settlement which saves time and cost and an important reform for contract enforcement and improved business enabling environment in the state,”
She advised participants to take advantage of the programme, as it would be useful in their homes.
The Head of Policy Unit of SEDIN-GIZ, Akinropo Omoware, said 100 persons would be trained and certified in mediation and conciliation.
He noted that the SEDIN’s beneficiaries include the poor and vulnerable who do not have the wherewithal to enforce their contractual rights especially through the formal justice system that is technical and expensive.
According to him, “as part of SEDIN’s inclusive business approach, this activity will contribute to the efficient ADR system in the Edo state and give access to affordable system of commercial dispute resolutions for MSMEs including farmers who would not have been able to afford/access the regular court process”.
He said that training began on Nov.16 2020 and will end of 27 2020 is on Batch by batch in Benin.
Earlier, Segun Ogunyannwo, Registrar of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) said the partnership would help to enhance ease of doing business.
“So, at the end of the process, we are expected that people from the ministry of justice, Organised Private Sector, who have any challenge, can come to Edo State Multi-Door Courthouse and get their disputes resolved,” he said.
In his remarks, Mr Oshireku Otokunrin, one of the participants from the ministry of justice, said the knowledge gained from the training would help in resolving disputes in the aspect of mediation. End