Daniel Dauda, Jos
Plateau Multi-Door Courthouse (PMDC) has registered about 42 neutrals for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism.
PMDC chairman governing council, Hon.Justice Chrysanthus Senlong Rtd, revealed that these neutrals are individuals trained in the art of dispute resolution—some specialize in mediation, while others are trained in arbitration and conciliation.
Senlong, while speaking on Monday in Jos during the official commencement of 5-day ADR awareness said, PMDC which was established by law in 2017 did not get attention it deserved until about one and half year ago.
“About one and a half years ago, the center was blessed with government recognition in terms of funding. This allowed the center to secure its own office accommodation, and since then, the center has been able to employ staff and fully commence its operations.I am proud to say that today, the center has matured significantly with many cases being registered.
“This means that if you have a dispute and prefer not to go through the regular courts, you can come to the center to register your dispute. We will assign an expert to mediate or arbitrate between the parties and help resolve the issue amicably.”
“This is in contrast to the traditional court system, where litigation takes time, is more expensive, and often leaves the parties feeling like lifelong enemies. In the ADR system, we ensure that both parties are in control of the dispute and the resolution process.
He also confirmed that the filing fee is just ₦2,500 per case, and the services are rendered by trained experts who charge reasonable fees as the fee structure, approved by the Chief Judge of Plateau State which is significantly cheaper than the cost of litigation.
Chief Judge of Plateau State, Hon. Justice David Mann, acknowledged the inception of Multi-Door Courthouse will significantly helps to reduce the workload of judges, who are often overwhelmed by the volume of cases, noting that “when disputes are resolved, it helps to lighten the judges’ dockets.”
Justice Mann, represented by Hon. Justice Nafisa Lawal admits one of the methods employed by the Multi-door Courthouse is the referral of cases from other courts. “Courts that believe certain cases are better suited for alternative resolution refer them to the Multi-door Courthouse. As a result, like we’ve seen in many cases, it becomes easier, cheaper, and less time-consuming to resolve matters through this system”, she added.
Prince Charles Dickson who highlighted objectives of the center charged citizens to take advantage and key into it, most especially the business community
In their goodwill messages; state Attorney general and commissioner of Justice, Barr. Philemon Dafi, Magistrate Association of Nigeria, GIZ representative Hauwa Manklik as well as the Chairman Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Plateau State Council, Ayuku Pwaspo welcome the initiative as it will further booster relationship in the area of businesses between Plateau, states and countries.
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