By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
CHIEF Judge of Kogi State, Justice Josiah Makebi has assured that digitization of all processes of administration of justice in the State would be gradually achieved through the adopted approach and efforts of the Council of Judges of the state’s Judiciary.
Majebi disclosed this while unveiling computers and photocopying machines for the Directorates of Litigation and that of Fiance and Supplies at the High Complex in Lokoja.
The Chief Judge said Kogi Judiciary was evolving on an elaborate concept of processing documents and other procedures intended to ease and hasten court procedures in all grades of its courts on the long run.
He said that the devices were meant to improve processing and reproduction of documents so as to solve the protracted challenges confronting timely and effective discharge of the requirements to process and issue confidential documents for both internal and external use.
The Chief Judge held that changing the narrative at the Litigation Directorate was expedient in order to correct the situation he inherited.
“On assumption of office, we discovered that in our Directorate of Litigation, vital documents are usually taken to town for reproduction which we’re not comfortable with.
“We concluded that that process is not safe for the integrity of our documents, especially in respect of cases going on appeal”, he said.
The Chief Judge said in addition to this development, upping the game in data processing and reproduction of documents was also an avenue to generate revenue which the court was ready to explore with the deployment of the facilities.
“Secondly, since much is usually paid by litigants to reproduce documents, we said apart from safety, taking such to outsiders is a disservice to us on the little revenue we should have been generating from the process.
“In that case, we are looking at the small revenue we can generate here to augment the little we are having. The process will therefore be self-sponsoring and accounting.
“We are saying that all documents generated by the Litigation Department will henceforth be fully processed by the department and paid for by litigants as they usually do out there.
Part of the proceeds generated will be used for procuring the required stationeries while the balance will be saved to take care of other demands of the court”, he added.
The Jurist however cautioned the head of the directorate on careful handling and diligent utilisation of the facilities just as he disclosed that the Directorate of Finance and Supplies had also benefitted from the project and hinted that other Directorates would as well benefit soon.
Speaking earlier, the Deputy Chief Registrar, Litigation, Daniel Akogwu Esq., said the Directorate was in dire need of the two photocopiers in view of the workload and therefore expressed his gratitude to the CJ for the prompt response to the request.
Akogwu noted that the CJ had particularly eased the discharge of responsibilities at the Directorate and assured of productive and efficient utilisation of the equipment.
