The Rivers State Judiciary, in collaboration with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), has inaugurated a Small Claims Court to improve the speed of adjudication for commercial disputes

Jumoke Oduwole, Special Adviser to the President, Ease of Doing Business/PEBEC secretary, said this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

According to Ms Oduwole, the Small Claims Court will improve the speed of adjudication for commercial disputes involving financial claims under N5 million.

She said this would be achieved by introducing self-representation and delivery of judgements within 60 days, among other transformative procedural rules.

“I wish to express my appreciation to the Rivers State Judiciary for collaborating efficiently with the PEBEC secretariat team to deliver this reform.

“This will effectively help the delivery of speedy access to justice for Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) operating in Rivers State,” she said.

The Chief Judge of Rivers State Judiciary, Simeon Amadi, affirmed his commitment to implementing more innovative reforms in the state.

Mr Amadi said the court’s establishment was the latest in a host of judicial reforms implemented by the state judiciary.

The Rivers State Judiciary is the eighth state to establish a specialised Small Claims Court within its magistracy.

It joins Edo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Kano, Lagos, Nasarawa, and Ogun States Judiciaries in this intervention. 

(NAN)