The Court of Appeal president, Monica Dongban-Mensem, on Friday, inaugurated the Plateau High Court complex and the multi-door court in Jos.
Speaking at the event, Ms Dongban-Mensem, thanked Governor Simon Lalong for completing the complex, started by the previous administration.
She said to administer justice to the people, the judiciary must be provided with tools for effective functionality, including a conducive environment for adjudication effectively.
The president thanked Mr Lalong for providing such an environment and granting autonomy to the judiciary, saying synergy between the three arms of government was necessary to ensure good governance.
She said that constructing the multi-door courtroom had provided an alternative for dispute resolution. She urged the residents to adopt the approach for peaceful coexistence in the state.
She expressed concerns over attacks and crises in some communities in the state, saying the culture of mediation should be adopted to forestall such a situation.
In his remarks, the chief judge of Plateau, David Mann, said no democratic government could operate without a functional judicial system.
Also, Mr Lalong said the edifice had been designed and equipped with modern facilities to ensure a conducive environment for the judiciary in the administration of justice.
‘’In this complex, there are nine courts that can sit simultaneously and comfortably. This is in addition to various halls, library and associated services that make the facility highly attractive,’’ he said.
He said that his administration swore in 27 judges for the High Court, Sharia and Customary Courts of Appeal.
He said the Multi-door Courthouse as a centre for alternative dispute resolution was to create room for settling disputes without necessarily going through the court system.
He expressed confidence that the high court complex would challenge the judicial officers to discharge their duties diligently to their best without favouring affection or ill-will.
(NAN)
