AKHA Proposes Establishment Of Customary Court Of Appeal

by Nelson Enyieting

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has proposed the establishment of Customary Court of Appeal in Akwa Ibom.

This followed a motion moved by member representing Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Idongesit Ntekpere, titled The Need for Establishment of Customary Court of Appeal in Akwa Ibom State.’

The lawmaker maintained that the establishment of a Customary Court of Appeal in the state will provide employment to Akwa Ibom people where not less than nine lawyers would be fully employed and more than 50 indigenes would be engaged as registrars, clerks, drivers and administrative staff of the court in all the senatorial districts of the state.

He noted that Sharia Court of Appeal which is also a court of superior records exists in the North and all the states in the northern Nigeria have availed themselves of this opportunity, thereby creating more socio-economic advancement over other states in Nigeria.

He also emphasized that the Akwa Ibom State Law, 2012, Part IV, Section 26(1) establishing the State Customary Court of Appeal prescribed for the establishment of this court in the three senatorial headquarters of the state.

Hon. Ntekpere further stressed that the salaries, allowances and other remunerations of the president and judges of this courts according to Part 1, Section 6 of the Customary Court of Appeal Law, 2012, are paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund and Akwa Ibom State has not benefited from this due to the non-establishment of this court in the state.

The speaker, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, in his ruling referred the motion to the House Committee on Judiciary, Justice, Human Rights and Public Petitions to report back to the House within one month.

Similarly, a bill for a law to make provision for the administration of criminal justice and other related matters, sponsored by Rt. Hon. Aniefiok Dennis passed through the first reading.

The House also considered different motions on the need for the introduction of ‘Marine Patrols in the Riverine Communities of Oku Iboku, Itu Clan, Mbiabo, Uruan and its environs; and as well as a motion for the immediate take-over of the Methodist College, Edem Idim Ibakesi by Akwa Ibom State Government,’ and they were committed to relevant committees to report back to the House within one month.