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Reps want more FCT High Court Judges
The House of Representatives at the plenary on Thursday passed through second reading a Bill seeking to amend the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Act to provide for an increase in the number of Judges in the FCT High Courts.
The proposed legislation was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Hon. Babajimi Benson, Hon. Akin Rotimi, Jr and five others.
Leading the debate on its general principles, one of the co-sponsors Hon. Jonathan Gbefwi stated that the Bill seeks to address a fundamental aspect of the judiciary’s ability to deliver timely justice, which is an increase of the number of judges in the High Court of the FCT, Abuja, from the current maximum of seventy to a minimum of one hundred Judges.
He noted that the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory stands as a crucial pillar in Nigeria’s judicial framework, serving not only the residents of Abuja but also, in many respects, playing a pivotal role in cases of national importance.
He recalled that at the beginning of the 2022/2023 legal year, the FCT High Court carried forward 12,513 pending cases from the previous year, underscoring a substantial backlog and over the same period, the court assigned an additional 5,952 new cases, bringing the workload to a level that greatly strains available judicial resources.
He said that as it currently stands, the High Court of the FCT is limited in the number of judges it can engage, and this inadequacy significantly affects the rising volume and complexity of cases brought before it.
He expressed optimism that by increasing the number of Judges, this amendment is anticipated to reduce delays in case resolution, ensuring more efficient handling of cases, and consequently, enhancing public confidence in the judiciary.
Gbefwi said, “I stand before you today to lead the debate on the general principles of a Bill for an Act to Amend the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (Number of Judges) Act, Cap H6, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Provide for Increase in the Number of Judges in the High Court of the Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja; and for Other Related Matters. The Bill which was read the first time on Tuesday, 23rd July, 2024, seeks to address a fundamental aspect of our judiciary’s ability to deliver timely justice, by seeking to increase the number of judges in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja stands as a crucial pillar in Nigeria’s judicial framework, serving not only the residents of Abuja but also, in many respects, playing a pivotal role in cases of national importance. However, as it currently stands, the High Court of the FCT is limited in the number of judges it can engage. This inadequacy significantly affects the rising volume and complexity of cases brought before it. The court’s current judge complement, though dedicated, is insufficient to keep up with these caseloads. The considerable backlog, reflects the limitations faced by the court in addressing the high volume of cases, which is only anticipated to increase with Abuja’s population growth and economic development.
“Given the rapid expansion of Abuja’s population, coupled with an
increasing caseload spanning various legal domains, the need for additional judges has become pressing. This amendment Bill is therefore introduced to address these systemic challenges by increasing the statutory number of judges for the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory. This Bill proposes an amendment to Section 1 of the extant Act to increase the number of Judges in the FCT High Court from the current maximum of seventy Judges (arising from the 2016 Amendment of the Act) to a minimum of one hundred Judges thus allowing for greater judicial capacity to address the current and future needs of the court. Mr. Speaker, Honorable Colleagues, this amendment is crucial; it is no doubt a necessary intervention to uphold the principles of timely justice, judicial efficiency, and the rule of law in Nigeria. I urge all members to lend their support to this Bill, as it represents a concrete step towards strengthening our judiciary and ensuring that justice remains accessible and expeditious for all Nigerians.”
The Bill was thereafter put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Rt Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, it was passed for second reading and referred to the Committee on FCT Judiciary and constitution review for further legislative action.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Federal Government has said plans are ongoing to increase electricity tariffs “over the next few months”.
It, however, said that the planned increase needed to be balanced by subsidies for less-affluent electricity users.
Bloomberg quoted the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Energy, Olu Verheijen, as giving this hint at the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where Nigeria presented a $32 billion plan to expand electricity connections by 2030.
According to the presidential aide, Nigeria is trying to resolve the transition to a cost-efficient but cost-reflective tariff to attract private investors.
She said: “One of the key challenges we’re looking to resolve over the next few months is transitioning to a cost-efficient but cost-reflective tariff.
“So the sector generates revenue required to attract private capital, while also protecting the poor and vulnerable.”
Last year, the federal government approved a threefold increase in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A classification.
The fresh move to raise tariffs comes amid mounting pressure from Nigeria’s debt-burdened electricity distribution companies for tariffs to be cost-reflective so they can improve their finances.
The Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Temitope Ilori, has said plans are ongoing to support the domestic production of HIV commodities such as test kits and anti-retroviral drugs before the end of 2025.
Ilori disclosed this at the weekend in Ilorin, Kwara State, while inaugurating the Kwara Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission and Pediatrics ART Acceleration Committee.
The NACA DG explained that domestic production of HIV commodities was part of ways the government was creating an enabling environment for ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
She added that other ways include enrolling all individuals in the national health insurance program, mobilising resources to states and strengthening advocacy efforts and supporting vaccine research and innovation.
Ilori said the committee being set up was aimed at achieving an AIDS-Free Generation and ensuring a sustainable HIV response.
‘’UNAIDS 2023 reports indicate that approximately 140,000 children aged 0-14 are living with HIV, with 22,000 new infections and 15,000 AIDS-related deaths occurring annually.
‘’Despite progress, PMTCT and pediatric HIV coverage remains below 33%, far from the 95% target.
‘’To address this, the Global Alliance Action Plan to End AIDS in Children was developed in 2021 with full financial support, yet coverage remains suboptimal,’’ she said.
The NACA DG noted that Kwara State’s HIV prevalence (0.8%) was below the national average of 1.4%, disparities persist.
‘’Women are disproportionately affected (1.3%) compared to men (0.4%), and some local governments require targeted interventions to maintain and further reduce prevalence rates.
‘’Achieving an AIDS-Free Generation is within reach, and no child should be born HIV-positive in Kwara State.
‘’I urge all partners to support us in developing a comprehensive line-list of children of HIV-positive clients, which is crucial to accelerating paediatric ART nationwide,’’ she added.
Ilori said that the Minister of State for Health has established a national acceleration committee, and the model was being replicated at the state level to eliminate mother-to-child transmission and enhance real-time program monitoring.
She however noted that there was a need for government-led sustainability efforts to address government’s continued reliance on donor support.
‘’Over the past few days, I have received numerous calls regarding the implications of the 90-day foreign aid suspension on our HIV program.
‘’While we are relieved that HIV services remain exempt, this situation underscores the need for government-led sustainability efforts.
Kwara State Deputy Governor, Kayode Alabi, however assured that the state government would ensure the committee achieves its mandate.
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