By Kenneth Atavti
The acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has urged
court administrators in the country to be innovative, and imbibe core administrative values in the discharge of their duties.
Justice Ariwoola gave the charge yesterday, at the opening of a national workshop on court management and administration for Chief Registrars, Heads of Judicial Service Committee/Commissions, Deputy Chief Registrars and Directors.
In a keynote address, the acting CJN encouraged the participants to imbibe core administrative values, practices and procedures, such as risk management, internal control measures, and the courtroom safety.
Justice Ariwoola reminded participants that “risk management structures should not only be tailored to merely identifying existing risks, but to calculate uncertainties as well as predict and resolve risks.
The CJN pointed out the importance of court room safety and security, advising that it should be prioritized.
“The safety of judicial officers, staff, court users and the security of court assets and facilities should be given special attention if we are to ensure safety of life and property within the court premises and it’s environs.
“As administrators, you should be dynamic in finding innovative ways to curb modern challenges associated with the use of social media and other online privacy issues which may pose significant threats to sensitive court records and perhaps, personal information of judicial officers and other court employees” Justice Ariwoola advised.
The CJN expressed optimism that the workshop would serve as an avenue to enlighten the participants to bring them up to speed on global best practices, which he said, would “deepen and stimulate optimal productivity for the judiciary”.
Also speaking, the administrator of National Judicial Institute, Justice Salisu Abdullahi (rtd) said the theme of the workshop, “Ensuring Optimal Productivity for the Judiciary” was in conformity with the vision of the judiciary to ensure optimal performance across all stratum of the judiciary.
Justice Abdullahi reiterated his firm belief that the workshop would not only serve as a platform for self-improvement but a podium in absorbing beneficial skills and knowledge necessary in a achieving a proficient court system.
