‘Why Anambra hasn’t reconstituted customary courts’

The Anambra State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has not
reconstituted the Customary Courts due to non-passage of amendments
to the Customary Courts Law by the House of Assembly.

The amendments provide for the appointment of qualified lawyers
as President and members of the Customary Courts.

The JSC’s Executive Secretary, Mr Christian Nnabuihe, said in a
statement that the commission’s attention was drawn to reports in
which the House of Assembly Committee on Judiciary and Justice
chairman Chugbo Enwezor called for the immediate reconstitution of
the customary courts.

“The delay in reconstituting the customary courts was as a
result of the unanimous decision of the commission since April 20,
2016, to amend the Customary Courts Law to enable only qualified
legal practitioners to serve as presidents and members of customary
courts, in line with modern trend in customary law practice all
over the country.

“The draft bill for the proposed amendment to the law has since
been pending before the state House of Assembly, and is still
waiting for the attention of the House Committee on Judiciary and
Justice.

“What is expected is for the House to pass the law; to move the
customary courts forward in Anambra State”, he said.

The commission said it would not be tidy to reconstitute the
membership of the courts without amending the enabling law.

“The Commission wants Hon. Enwezor as chairman of the committee
to ensure the quick passage of the proposed amendment before the
panels will be reconstituted, or allow the existing non-lawyers
panels to continue,” the statement said.

The JSC bemoaned the inability of the House Committee to secure
adequate budgetary allocation to the commission.

This, it said, has forced it to borrow money for its activities,
following the allocation of N2.2million to the commission in the
2017 fiscal year.

The Anambra State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has not
reconstituted the Customary Courts due to non-passage of amendments
to the Customary Courts Law by the House of Assembly.

The amendments provide for the appointment of qualified lawyers
as President and members of the Customary Courts.

The JSC’s Executive Secretary, Mr Christian Nnabuihe, said in a
statement that the commission’s attention was drawn to reports in
which the House of Assembly Committee on Judiciary and Justice
chairman Chugbo Enwezor called for the immediate reconstitution of
the customary courts.

“The delay in reconstituting the customary courts was as a
result of the unanimous decision of the commission since April 20,
2016, to amend the Customary Courts Law to enable only qualified
legal practitioners to serve as presidents and members of customary
courts, in line with modern trend in customary law practice all
over the country.

“The draft bill for the proposed amendment to the law has since
been pending before the state House of Assembly, and is still
waiting for the attention of the House Committee on Judiciary and
Justice.

“What is expected is for the House to pass the law; to move the
customary courts forward in Anambra State”, he said.

The commission said it would not be tidy to reconstitute the
membership of the courts without amending the enabling law.

“The Commission wants Hon. Enwezor as chairman of the committee
to ensure the quick passage of the proposed amendment before the
panels will be reconstituted, or allow the existing non-lawyers
panels to continue,” the statement said.

The JSC bemoaned the inability of the House Committee to secure
adequate budgetary allocation to the commission.

This, it said, has forced it to borrow money for its activities,
following the allocation of N2.2million to the commission in the
2017 fiscal year.