The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, stated on Tuesday that the National Judicial Council, NJC, will not spare any judge who fails to produce the requisite number of decisions every quarter.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, speaking in Abuja at the 3rd Annual National Judicial Council (NJC) Conference on Judges’ Performance Evaluation, stated that at the most recent meeting of the performance evaluation committee, there was a decrease in case disposal because some judicial officers failed to deliver a single judgment in one quarter, which she described as simply unacceptable.
She said:
“Unless we can justly, speedily and effectively execute our roles as judicial officers, the populace will lose confidence in the judiciary as it is mostly believed rightly or wrongly that the judicial process is often painstakingly slow and tedious, delayed justice is denied justice.”
The Chief Justice urged judges to embrace a culture of excellence and responsibility while also taking ownership of their courtrooms, maximizing the use of the case management system, and cultivating an atmosphere in which constructive input is respected and acted upon.
She argued that performance measurements should consider not just speed but also the quality and effect of Judges’ rulings.
Regarding the rising number of outstanding cases and low disposal rates, Kekere-Ekun stated that as of the first quarter of 2024, there were 243,253 cases pending in superior courts of record, excluding the Supreme Court. This number includes 199,747 civil and 43,506 criminal cases.
“Therefore, it is imperative for all of us to take serious note of this alarming situation and refocus our attention towards enhancing our judicial performance,” Justice Kekere-Ekun stated.
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cc: Daily Post Ng
