Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN), has said the judicial system can play a proactive role in addressing the country’s recent economic challenges.
Speaking at the opening of the Legal Year 2024/2025 of the National Industrial Court in Abuja on Tuesday, Fagbemi said the court can impact some of the economic challenges being faced by Nigeria like the high unemployment rate, rising inflation, and declining revenue, by ensuring timely and efficient resolution of industrial disputes.
“Industrial harmony is essential for attracting foreign investment, creating jobs, and promoting sustainable development. Consequently, the court’s decisions have a direct impact on the stability and efficiency of our industries and its rulings must therefore be grounded on sound legal principles and a deep understanding of the complexities of labour market,” he said.
In his speech, the President of the Nation Industrial Court, Justice Benedict Bakwaph Kanyip assured that the court strives every day to improve the justice delivery system and general administration of the court to earn the trust and confidence of the users and the general public, guided by the International Labour Organization (ILO) principle.
He noted that since the last legal year celebration in 2022, there have been 8,608 pending cases, of which the court delivered 1,616 judgments, with 6,992 cases currently pending with a case delivery ratio of 8 per cent.
He added that the first quarter of 2024 showed a workload ratio of 186.80 cases per judge with Owerri and Markurdi divisions shouldering more workload of 500 cases in their dockets.
Similarly, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), called on the court to adapt to the demands of the changing global economy and technological advancements such as the rise of the gig economy, remote working, and automation.
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