Ebonyi State Judiciary Improves Workers Welfare, Capacity Building

The Chief Judge of Ebonyi State, Justice Elvis Ngene says the State Judiciary has improved on the capacity building and welfare of Judicial personnel,  notwithstanding the economic realities of the time.

Justice Ngene said this while presenting his address during the 2023/2024 legal Year, which was held at the Court premises in Abakaliki, the State Capital.

He said; “We have within the last year vigorously pursued the welfare, training, and retraining of our judicial personnel at all levels. The government has been very supportive in ensuring that as much as possible our Judges are enabled to carry out their duties with minimal or nil inconveniences.”

“The President of the Customary Court of Appeal received his new official vehicle with a backup van after his swearing-in. The State Governor has pledged to provide vehicles for the Judges whose official vehicles are due for change.

“Also the lingering issues of the arrears of salaries and promotion of staff of the various courts have been finally laid to rest with every member of staff getting what was due to him or her,” Justice Ngene stated.

He said; “One of the pledges he made upon assumption of office as the Chief Judge is that the Judiciary under his watch would place capacity building on the front burner. “We have kept faith with this commitment throughout the legal year under review.

“Some Judges had the opportunity of attending international conferences. We have had the full complement of our newly appointed Judges attended training at the National Judicial Institute, (NJI) Abuja.”

“Earlier in the year, six of our judges attended a Refresher course for Judges organised by the NJI. We had our Judges participate in the Hybrid Biennial Conference of the National Association of Women Judges. We endeavoured against all odds to ensure that we had Judges attend and participate in all the training programmes of the NJI during the year,” Justice Ngene explained.

He said; “The Magistrates and other staff of the Judiciary were not left out. We sponsored Magistrates to attend different NJI conferences within the period. We also sent other cadres of staff from the High Court, Customary Court of Appeal, and the Judicial Service Commission on training at different workshops organised by the NJI.
Judicial education, training, and re-training are key to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and the needed attitude to work for the optimal performance of our judicial duties fairly, correctly, and efficiently. The world is moving fast in developing new trends and ideas on contemporary issues of legal, technological, and other interests. Those who stand aloof with indifference will be left far behind and we cannot afford to be in that category.”

“This understanding is what propels our unrelenting and sacrificial commitment towards promoting capacity building in the Judiciary. In the current year we are optimistic that we will be able to make more efforts in this direction in such a manner that will impact on a greater number of our personnel,” Justice Ngene added.

Mercy Chukwudiebere