Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has advocated for the creation of an Ogun Division of the Court of Appeal to expedite the administration of justice in the state.
Governor Abiodun made the appeal on Wednesday during a meeting at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, with the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem.
He mentioned that establishing an Ogun Division would alleviate the workload on judges in the Ibadan Division.
“My request is for this initiative that you have reinitiated to be conducted periodically, and it serves as a follow-up to the request I made in 2020 when I wrote to the then President, requesting the establishment of an Ogun State Division of the Court of Appeal. Your visit strengthens this request, considering that you noted most cases in the Ibadan Division are from Ogun State,” he said.
The governor applauded Justice Dongban-Mensem for her efforts to decongest appeal cases across all divisions, emphasizing that swift resolution of cases leads to an efficient justice system and prevents justice from being delayed.
“I want to thank you. As you mentioned in your remarks, you have scheduled about 150 cases to be heard and resolved with 10 panels.
This initiative will boost social order by addressing a range of criminal, commercial, and civil cases, thereby encouraging enterprise and commercial activities that might otherwise be hindered by prolonged legal processes,” the governor stated.
Abiodun highlighted several reforms his administration has introduced to improve the justice system, such as implementing the Multi Court House Scheme and appointing 22 judges in the state.
He commended the state judiciary, led by Hon. Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, for their support, especially for establishing a special court to address cultism-related cases, which has helped ensure timely justice.
Earlier, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem mentioned that her visit to the Ibadan Division aimed to decongest appeal cases that had accumulated due to various reasons, including election and commercial appeals.
Justice Dongban-Mensem noted that the workload in the Ibadan Division had increased significantly due to a reduction in judges, caused by transfers, promotions, retirements, or deaths.
She acknowledged that the Ibadan Division, once split into two, is now consolidated into one, contributing to the backlog of cases. However, she reassured that steps would be taken to correct the imbalance.
Justice Dongban-Mensem also appreciated Governor Abiodun’s administration for the improvements in the state and for supporting the judiciary in its efforts.
