Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has expressed concerns over the difficult operational conditions of many judicial workers in the state, noting that many courts are in various stages of dilapidation.
Otti, who lamented that many judges in the state operate in very difficult conditions, reassured the judiciary workers that the executive arm would work with them to provide a system where the smooth delivery of justice is put in place.
The governor, who stated this on Friday at a church service held in FMC Chapel to mark the 2024/2025 legal year celebration in the state, congratulated the judiciary on this year’s celebration.
“I have always been worried about the judiciary, particularly the judges. A lot of them operate in very, very difficult conditions. The courts are in different stages of dilapidation.”
“The entire process is like we are still operating in the 19th or 20th century. So, as soon as we assumed office, we thought that it was necessary to simply retrofit the court halls.”
Otti said that it is for that reason that his administration is retrofitting court halls across the 17 LGAs of the state, adding that automation of judicial processes is to be introduced in the state.
He noted that the practice of handwriting legal documents and other manual practices has been changed in many states, pointing out that such innovation would be replicated in Abia.