By Okiemute Okpomor
ASABA – Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State has called for the use of mediation instead of litigation as the best form of settling disputes to fast track decongestion of Nigerian Prisons.
The Governor made the call in Asaba when he played host to Emeka Obegolu, National President, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC)who led a team on a courtesy call, he commended the Institute for looking at ways to ensure Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) in resolving election matters.
According to Okowa, “if we apply the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), our prisons will be less congested because, I do know that the process of mediation is faster than litigation. In Nigeria where people believe that all contestants who lost in an election must go for litigation, we hope that with your training of INEC and DSIEC officials, they will be able to mediate and resolve electioneering disputes faster.”
While calling for enlightenment campaign for Nigerians to know the benefits of ADR as one of the best way of settling disputes, the Governor reiterated, “it will be the best for our country for ADR to help in election matters.”
The governor added, “with ADR we will be able to achieve peace and harmonious relationship when we settle disputes among families, friends, relations, contractors and others through mediation rather than litigation, Iin Delta State, the Multi-Door Court system which we have established will go a long way in dispute resolution and we are hoping to grow it further.”
Obegolu represented at the occasion by Mr Victor Ojaide who is the Chairman of ICMC, Delta State Chapter commended Delta State government for being among the few states in the country that has Multi-Door Court house, stating, ‘there are some conflicts that are not appropriate for litigation and can better be resolved through mediation.”
