Wahab Abdulah and Innocent Anaba
19 September 2008
Three states, Kaduna, Lagos and Abia are to benefit from the Federal government, World Bank ADR joint pilot project. The project which is being handled by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) on behalf of the federal government, will be extended to other states in the next phase.
Meanwhile, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Aremu Akiolu 1, Oba of Lagos, has promised to support the activities of the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC), aimed at settling dispute using the Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) methods. Similarly, Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Adetula Alabi also said that the state judiciary had adopted ADR in settling disputes. They both spoke, while Governing council of the LMDC paid a courtesy call to the Oba.
The Ag Chairman of the Governing Council of the LMDC, Justice Opeyemi Oke, thanked the Oba for his support, adding the unit will provide services in the area of Restorative Justice, Victim-Offender mediation, mediation of simple misdemeanors and accident claims from traffic incidences.
Earlier, speaking at the public presentation of the pilot project in Lagos, Mr Kehinde Aina, the project team leader and Executive Director of the Negotiation and Conflict Management Group (NCMG), said "two leading international ADR organisations, ADR Center, Rome, Italy and the Negotiation and Conflict Management Croup (NCMC), Nigeria have commenced a major new project aimed at expanding Commercial Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Institutions and Mechanisms in Kaduna, Abia and Lagos States". According to him, "the ADR Project is an integral sub-component of a larger joint pilot project of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the World Bank, implemented by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC).
The objectives of the project in the three pilot states is to assist in establishing and expanding ADR institutions and mechanisms to facilitate resolution of disputes involving MSMEs, to consider the appropriateness ol various ADR mechanisms to suit the particular needs of each of the pilot States, and to generate public awareness and use of ADR processes". Further he said, that he Project has already secured the support and cooperation of the Chief Judges in the three states, along with other relevant stakeholders.
According to him, "the Chief Executive Officer of the Italy-based ADR Center, Mr Leonardo D'Urso, and Mr Christopher Honeyman, an America, Consultant working with ADR Center, are already in Nigeria for the kick-off meetings and the commencement of the first phase of the Project". He added that the next phase of the project will begin in November 2008 and will be led by Prof Giuseppe De Palo, President of ADR Center.
"In addition, the project has the assistance of some of the leading international ADR Specialists, including a Scientific Committee which features two renowned jurists. Justice Kayode Eso, Justice Dolapo Akinsanya and lormcr Chief Justice oi Nigeria, Justice Muhammadu Uwais, together with ADR experts from the UK and the USA", he added. Mr Honeyman, who spoke at the briefing explained that the focus of the ADR is strictly commercial disputes and the project will serve medium and micro firms, who may not be able to afford the high cost charged by lawyers.
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