By PETER TITLE
The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, alongside Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has commissioned an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre and a newly built Magistrate Court in Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The facilities were formally handed over on Saturday as part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria.
Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Mutfwang commended the initiative and praised Justice Dongban-Mensem for what he described as her consistent efforts in attracting development projects to the state.
“I want to thank God for this occasion and to appreciate every Plateau person who has the opportunity in life and remembers that he or she needs to contribute to the development of the home state,” he said.
He also urged affluent indigenes of the state to use their positions to attract development, adding that Justice Dongban-Mensem had set a strong example through her contributions to education and justice infrastructure.
“I must say that we thank God for all that God has used you to accomplish, both as a judicial officer and also as a community leader,” the governor added.
The governor pledged continued collaboration with the Court of Appeal President to strengthen justice delivery and attract more development projects to the state.
The President of the Court of Appeal, in her remarks, said the commissioning marked a milestone in the judiciary’s reform efforts and the institution’s 50-year history.
“I would like to say that I feel very honoured and privileged to welcome you all to my place of birth.
“The commissioning of this centre today is a testament to 50 years of dedication to excellence at the institutional level,” Mensen added.
She said the ADR Centre was established to promote faster, more cost-effective dispute resolution while preserving relationships and reducing the burden of litigation.
She added that alternative dispute resolution helps ensure quicker justice delivery and reduces conflict escalation compared to conventional litigation.
“In today’s evolving legal environment, alternative dispute resolution has become indispensable in ensuring timely and efficient justice delivery,” she said.
Justice Dongban-Mensem explained that situating the centre in Shendam was aimed at decentralising justice and bringing services closer to grassroots communities.
To legal practitioners, she said: “We are not taking away clients from you, but we are rather just speeding up the process so that you can have more clients and have healthy clientele.”
In separate goodwill messages, Senator Simon Lalong, Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Naanlong Daniel Gapyil, and the Chief Judge of Plateau State, Justice David Mann, commended the initiative.
They described the project as a major step in bringing justice closer to rural communities and reducing delays in court processes.
They said the facility would help decongest courts and improve the speed of judgment delivery, noting that it would strengthen access to justice across the state.