The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) has unveiled two strategic documents containing guidelines to resolve family and land disputes in Ogun State.
The document is a product of four years collaborative research between the HiiL and the Ogun State Government through the Ministry of Justice.
Governor Dapo Abiodun performed the official launch of the guidelines in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Abiodun, represented by the State Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs. Adebimpe Obienu, stated that the guidelines would equip practitioners with effective communication techniques and mediation methods.
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This, he said, would facilitate the peaceful resolution of disputes without necessarily going to the conventional court.
Abiodun who described the document as people-centered, emphasizing its potential to provide swift resolution to family and land disputes.
The Country’s Representative of HiiL, Mrs Ijeoma Nwafor, said the organisation embarked on the project out of the concern that many people lack access to justice due to many reasons.
“Our mission is to help 150 million people prevent or resolve their most pressing justice problems by 2030,” Nwafor said.
According to her, the guideline produced with practical inputs from stakeholders that participated in the training, would reduce burden on the conventional court.
With the guideline, Nwafor said, citizens are provided opportunities to get justice particularly in rural areas through mediation and negotiation using the guidelines in the document.
She also disclosed that more than 1,000 professionals in both formal and informal administration of justice system have been trained to enhance access to parties in family and land disputes in the state.
She explained that the Ogun is the first state in Nigeria to have such guidelines, saying the document can be adopted by other states with little or no amendment.
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwashina Ogungbade, SAN, who spoke through the Director of Citizen Rights Department in the ministry, Mrs Kemi Lawal, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring speedy justice for all citizens.
She emphasized that recommendations from the training, had assisted in the successful settlement of numerous family and land disputes, expressing appreciation for the organization’s initiative.
A State High Court Judge, Justice O Ogunfowora applauded HiiL for the project, saying the guidelines would help reduce work load in court.
He said looking at the statistics of those lacking access to justice, formal justice system isn’t doing enough and there’s a need for the guidelines like the one facilitated by HiiL in order to breach the gap.
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