Enugu State Multi-Door Courthouse (ESMDC), on Wednesday,sensitised traders at Ogbete main market,on the need to embrace Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as the best way to settle dispute.
The workshop, with the theme,” Nabata Udo” (Embrace Peace),was held at the Secretariat of Ogbete main market traders asssociation, Enugu.
In her opening remarks, the Director ESMDC, Mrs Caroline Nene Etuk, said the programme offered a variety of ADR processes with the mission to provide speedy, cost-effective and user-friendly access to Justice through the ADR mechanism.
She said that the vision of the Courthouse is to become the Hub of the Region that runs its process through mediator which saves cost and time.
“We are here to sell our commodity which is peace and we are interested in teaching the OMMTA Caretaker Committee that handles cases on the mordern means to Dispute Resolution.
“ESMDC wants to raise the profile of the traders committee and that means giving them six days training and working in collaboration with them,” she said.
Speaking, the Central Registrar of ESMDC, Osita Okwor, said the process is easy and cost effective . He advised traders to use the Multi-Door means in settling their problem(s).
He explained the process of filing matters before the Courthouse, saying, an applicant has to fill a form to initiate a case against the other person.In another aspect, a Judge or Justice may transfer a case which he or she sees to be better solved through Dispute Resolution to the Multi-Door Courthouse.
Okwor noted that the persons involved in a case play major roles and have the final say on settlement of their matter. The case is not for the court to decide.
Earlier, Chairman Ogbete Main Market Traders Association, OMMTA, Caretaker Committee, Chief Stephen Aniagu welcomed the ESMDC Director and her team.He informed her of OMMATA’s Caretaker Committee that handles civil cases.
He urged the Director to organise a workshop for the committee members for them to help tjemn improve in handling cases between traders.
Aniagu suggested that the training should be done through the committee, adding that bringing all the traders together for a workshop will be a difficult task due to the nature of their businesses.
Author: Maureen Ikpeama