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By Bolaji Okunola
Chief Judge of Lagos State, Kazeem Alogba, has said Small Claims Courts will strengthen Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) in the GIZ-SEDIN partner states if managed and effectively operated.
Alogba stated this at the opening of a peer learning and capacity development workshop organised by the German Agency for International Corporation (GIZ)-SEDIN in partnership with the Lagos State judiciary with the theme: “Strengthening the Operation of the Small Claims Court in GIZ-SEDIN Partner States,” in Lagos.
The workshop was organised to strengthen the operation of the Small Claims Court in the SEDIN’s partner states for enhanced and effective commercial dispute resolution system in the focal states.
“I am optimistic that the progress recorded in Lagos State can be replicated in other GIZ-SEDIN partner states. It is also expected that MSMEs in those states will benefit significantly from the effective operation of the court.
“Having a training programme of this kind in Lagos State is most appropriate; and so, on behalf of the Lagos State judiciary and on my behalf, I sincerely thank GIZ-SEDIN for their sponsorship and for this remarkable initiative. It is my hope and belief that this initiative will not be a one-time event, rather it should be a continuing exercise and the training should be extended to all the states in the country.
“The objective of the court is to provide easy access to an informal, inexpensive, and speedy resolution of simple debt recovery disputes in the Magistrates’ Courts. The court is designed to provide judicial determination of disputes involving small amounts of money quickly and cheaply, with or without legal representation,” Alogba said.
