BY ANTHONY OCHELA, ABUJA
Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has urged court administrators to ensure they always develop strategic plans that would align with institutional objectives in the course of their duties.
Justice Ariwoola gave the charge at the opening of a hybrid national workshop on court management and administration. The workshop was organized for chief registrars, heads of judicial service committees, and directors and deputy directors of the judiciary.
The workshop themed, “Nurturing high standards of performance for better service delivery”, organized by National Judiciary Institute, NJI, is aimed at aiding court managers in the improvement of court system and services.
The CJN represented by Justice Emmanuel Agim, a Supreme Court Justice, attributed the poor justice delivery in the country to ineffective and lack of proper management of the various courts.
According to him, without efficient and effective management of the various courts , an effective justice delivery would continue to be elusive in the country.
He, therefore, urged court heads, managers and administrators on upholding the code of conduct for courts staff to enhance service delivery.
The CJN emphasized that courts administrators’ relationship with judges is very crucial to the success of their respective courts.
He said, “Court managers must be respectful, cordial, and transparent in their dealings with judicial officers, who rely on their support.
“cooperation is key; ensure you lighten the burden of the court by performing your duties efficiently and in line with global best practices”.
In his welcome address, the administrator of NJI, Salisu Garba, stated that as society evolves, it is essential for the services of the court to keep pace with its development. This alignment, he said, becomes necessary to meet modern realities, hence the need for such workshops.
Justice Garba noted that in the last quarter of the 20th century, Information and Communications Technology, ICT, began to play an increasingly significant role in society, stating that this technological revolution has led judicial systems worldwide to modernize their traditional operations by adopting new techniques and innovations.
Justice Garba informed participants that they would receive relevant information on ICT tools essential for improving court services.
