N'Assembly Moves to Provide Alternatives to Dispute Resolution

With the second reading of the National Alternative Dispute Resolution Regulatory Commission (Establishment) Bill 2013 in the Senate yesterday, ordinary citizens who cannot afford the cost of litigation in conventional courts can now heave a sigh of relief.
The bill, which originated from the House of Representatives, seeks to establish a commission that will set and regulate standards of alternative resolution institutions in Nigeria and as well develop an alternative dispute resolution policy.
The commission will also publicise the benefits of alternative dispute resolution as a veritable tool for settling disputes.

Presenting a lead debate on the bill, Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, said the commission would liaise with international alternative dispute resolution bodies with a view to attaining international best practice and as well as regulate through the process of accreditation, all alternative dispute resolution bodies and institutions.

He said the bill would provide succour for indigent people who cannot afford the cost of justice in the court and also protect them from the hazards of technicalities which abound in the court.

The bill was committed to the Senate committee on judiciary and expected to report back in four weeks.
Also yesterday, a bill seeking to establish Nigerian Financial Ombudsman scaled second reading and was committed to the committees on judiciary and banking.
Ndoma-Egba listed the benefits of the bill to include avoidance of delays in resolving financial disputes through regular courts, enforcement of findings and resolution in the court, binding award or directive of Ombudsman on parties, among others.