Funmi Olaitan, Ibadan

Oyo State government on Sunday said the Multi-door Court Law of 2017 targeted at liberalizing the dispute resolution space and promote access to Justice for all residents has been passed by the state House of Assembly.

It also stated that as soon as the clean copy of this law is produced by the House of Assembly, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, would sign the bill into law.

The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Oluwaseun Abimbola, who made the disclosures, explained that with the law, mediation, arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution options will become readily available pathways to resolving disputes by disputing parties before the state High Court.

Abimbola stated that the state Judiciary had already earmarked a facility within the High Court complex for the smooth take-off of the new Multi-door Courthouse which is expected to take off in earnest and inaugurated by Mr Ajimobi.

He said: “One of our signature bills towards Justice sector reforms in Oyo State, targeted at liberalizing the dispute resolution space and promote access to Justice for all residents, has just been passed by Oyo State House of Assembly. This is Oyo State Multi-door Courthouse Law of 2017.

“It would be recalled that this law was proposed by the state government as an executive bill to establish the Oyo State Multi-door Courthouse to allow the regular court deploy other dispute resolution channels other than litigation”.

The commissioner then lauded the Speaker and members of the state House of Assembly on the diligence given to the passage of laws relevant to the people and the continuing cooperation of the House with the Governor on the various judicial reform initiatives of the current administration leading to the passing of the Community Service Law, the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, the new Multi-door court law and other innovative bills now pending before the House at varying stages of passage.

He also gave kudos to the Chief Judge of Oyo State and the Joint committee of the Judiciary/Ministry of Justice/Nigeria Bar Association for their cooperation with government in midwifing this innovation in the state, assuring that there would always be collaboration with relevant stakeholders in achieving total Justice Sector reforms in the state.